Save Me
by sljh
Summary: *COMPLETE* Rogue has a mental illness and is slowly slipping into her own world of nightmares that she can't wake from. Will anyone be able to save her? Rogue/?? Slight AU. My first fic! R&R PLZ~
1. Ch 1 Discoveries

Disclaimer: I don't own X-men Evolution.  
  
"God, mutant freak."  
  
Tap.  
  
"Ice queen bitch. Didja hear the way she bitched at the coach?"  
  
Tap.  
  
"Fuckin inconsiderate goth."  
  
Pause. *SNAP* Rogue glanced down at the crumbled pencil in her hand. 'Not true. Besides, he yelled at meh first.' The whispering was starting again. Rogue tossed aside the pencil and began drumming her fingers instead.  
  
"Like, no wonder no one likes her."  
  
"No DUH, she thinks she's like better than everyone else."  
  
The other voice continued smugly, "Like, even if she was normal, she'd still be a loser."  
  
Rogue flipped through her French book, trying to ignore them. "Pourriez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît?"(1) she whispered. She closed her eyes and slowly opened them, fascinated how her vision could blur when her concentration wandered. Suddenly, her eyes clenched shut once more as blinding pain severed her vision and racked inside her body.  
  
*RIIIING*  
  
Her breath shuddered when the pain subsided. Shaken, she cringed inwardly as the students around her jostled to get to their next class. 'Calm down, sugah, ain't nothing t' worry 'bout.' When only a couple students dwindled, her jade eyes scanned for others and she bolted outside.  
  
Her breathing had calmed but once again refused to take in air when she spotted him. Her already face paled even further and she fervently ducked into the crowd, thankful for once of the sweaty mass. Her thoughts wandered and she forgot the crowd, unconciously going with the flow.  
  
Pietro.  
  
She had avoided him ever since the betrayal. Coming back to her senses, she silently walked into her chemistry class and avoided Kurt's concerned look at her ashen face as she fumbled with her notes. Already her day was starting off badly.  
  
She'll get through it; she had to.  
  
---------------------------------------------------  
  
"Hey."  
  
Rogue looked up into Lance's face. She was sitting under the shade of a tree reading one of her gothic novels and peered in wonder at his concerned look but quickly dismissed it.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"You doing okay?"  
  
Her lifeless eyes smirked at his attempt of conversation. "I should be asking you that."  
  
He sat down next to her and leaned against the tree. "You mind?"  
  
She shrugged, "Not like I care."  
  
*Silence*  
  
"What?"  
  
Softly, he said in realization, "You hate him."  
  
She didn't answer him and he didn't say anything else. They didn't need to.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------  
  
"Professor... it can't be..."  
  
Xavier rubbed his temples and he said gravely, "Her mind's becoming harder to contain. I believe it is the strain of all the memories and powers she has absorbed that caused this."  
  
Ororo shook her stately white head. "But, she's just a child. Is there any way to heal her? Can't she use Logan to heal it?"  
  
He sighed. "Logan's healing factor can only heal damages made to his body; it cannot heal psychological illnesses."  
  
"But... she's just a child. There must still be a way to help her." Her shoulders slumped and water trickled to the floor, caused not by rain, but by Ororo's tears. Quietly calming herself, she asked earnestly, "What is the first stage?"  
  
The professor interlocked his hands under his chin. After a brief moment of silence, he continued, "She will isolate herself from others and will lose interest in her surroundings. Her thinking process will be superficial and refer to only concrete things or situations. Her emotions will lack depth and her judgment will be inadequate." (2)  
  
Ororo drew in a sharp breath. "The second?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Xavier!"  
  
He answered quietly, "She will suffer delusions, often of persecutions. Hallucinatory experiences and special ways of thinking will support her false beliefs."(3)  
  
Ororo gave out a small cry and buried her face in her hands. She whispered, "Then it is too late."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: (1) Could you repeat that, please?   
  
(2), (3) info gathered from Encyclopedia Americana 


	2. Ch 2 Piece of Paper

"Rogue! Rogue!"  
  
She ignored his calls and continued walking. School was over and she wanted to get back to the Insitute as soon as possible.  
  
"Wait up!" Inhumane speed allowed him to catch up to her and grab her by the shoulders. "WHYAREYOUIGNORINGME?!?!!"  
  
Her eyebrows quirked at his hastiness. "Hello t' yah too."  
  
"IknowIbetrayedyouguysbut... oh what?" Rogue's words just registered into his head. Peitro brushed back his silver hair and asked, "Your not mad?"  
  
Somewhere in the depths of her brain screamed at her that she was associating with the guy who betrayed all mutants alike, but she failed to hear it. Instead, she shrugged. "Not mah deal. Now if you'll excuse meh, Ah've got t' catch Scott before he leaves."  
  
Stunned at her reaction, Pietro watched her walk away and blinked rapidly. He had seen her reaction at school and now she was saying she didn't care?  
  
What was going on?  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
Her eyes narrowed as she heard whispering and soft giggles in her room. Fingering a worn-looking brown book in her hand, she pressed her ear against the door.  
  
"Really?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"And Ah thought Ah was da only one," the voice giggled.  
  
*CRASH* Startled, Rogue looked up to a disheveled Kitty sprawled on the floor. Kitty quickly recovered and stammered, "Oh like, sorry to intrude but I was like, trying to open the door but like---"  
  
"It's alright Kitty." Rogue beamed. Kitty smiled back uneasily and stopped. Rogue... smiling? Something was up.  
  
Rogue beckoned to empty air and said, "I was just chatting with Christine here. She's a new mutant with the same powers as me!"  
  
Kitty stared at Rogue. Then looked to the side. "Uhm, like, there's no one there."  
  
Disbelieving Kitty's response, she asked uncertainly, "You sure...?" Under Kitty's scrutiny, Rogue glanced to her side. "Oh, she must'ave left when you barged in. She gets scared easily."  
  
She giggled.  
  
Kitty facefaulted. "Did... you just giggle?"  
  
"Sorry, Ah was thinking 'bout something that happened."  
  
"Uhm, like okay, I guess. Anyway, I know you don't like me invading your privacy and all, but like, I couldn't resist! I think you've been acting kinda weird lately, so I found a cure!" Kitty handed her the brown book.  
  
Rogue fingered the edges of the worn-looking book and opened it. The pages were blank. She looked up and Kitty answered, "It's like, a diary."  
  
"..."  
  
Kitty twirled her finger around her hair and explained, "Well, I figured since you like, don't talk to anyone about yourself, you can like, confine in a diary, you know?"  
  
"In a diary...?" Noticing Kitty's wierd look, she patted her arm awkwardly. "Thanks Kitty." She walked into her room.  
  
With a thoughtful look to her face, Kitty skipped down the stairs and called out quickly, "Hey Scott?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Is there like a new mutant by the name Christine...?"  
  
Scott blinked. "We haven't gotten anyone new yet, and if we did, the Professor would have told introduced her to us. Why?"  
  
"No reason."  
  
------------------------------------------------  
  
Dear piece of paper,  
  
Talked to Pietro today. Seems like yesterday that he betrayed us. Oh well. Not like it matters anymore.   
  
Kitty gave you to me, so I might as well put you to good use. Christine told me Kitty couldn't see her because only I could, since I had the same powers as her. Does that mean the Professor can't see her either? Anyway, it's nice to know I'm not the only one unable to touch.  
  
Saw Scott and Jean whispering; I just KNOW their talking about me and how I'm pathetically useless in the X-men. Maybe I am; I should just go back to the brotherhood but I don't think they'd want me either.  
  
Or maybe, I might meet that one strange guy with the red black eyes... what's his deal anyway?  
  
Oh, Christine's getting jealous that I'd rather write in a book than talk to her. Good-bye piece of paper.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Sorry for boring chapters but need them to set up story. Promise next one will be better. 


	3. Important Notice

It's almost 11 pm right now and I really should be studying for chemistry and math, but I wanted to let my readers now first that I did not forget about them!!!  
  
Sorry guys, but update's gonna take a while, but don't buy the lynching rope yet! I have no clue when I can get the next chapter out because I'm in the middle of show week, tennis matches, and finals. I got SATII this Saturday and hafta study my butt off to make sure I pass. Don't worry, this doesn't mean I've forgotten all about the story; I have it all planned out in my head! Oh, by the way, sooner or later, Remy is bound to come by in the story but I'm having trouble with Cajun accents. Anyone care to help me?  
  
Shout outs:  
  
Orli-Ryro: My first reviewer! And the famed Orli-Ryro no less! I am forever humbled. ^^ To your questions, yes, Rogue is developing early signs of a disorder, and whether the professor does or not have ways to help her is still yet to be known... xD am I being evil?  
  
Windyspirit: Hmmm, Romy huh? I've been thinking about it, and so far, I really don't know. I absolutely LOVE Romys as well, but hmm.... let's keep it a surprise, yeah? =D  
  
DaughterofDeath: Actually, I'm thinking of just stopping here. x) Just kidding.  
  
Rogue: Really? =D *blush* Hopefully it is!  
  
Kuroi Tori: "You review mine, I'll review yours", isn't that what they say? ^^ I'll R/R when I get the chance, promise.  
  
Queondapo: Haha, you scared me for a sec. The big words made me stare at the screen, scrunching my brows, with the dumbest look on my face going, "...huh?" I'm glad that you think this is interesting and don't worry, more details will be given later on. Thanks for your positive words and I'll try ASAP to get the next chapter out!  
  
bunny angel: True, but this is MY story so it goes MY way! Haha, j/k, but could you expand on what you meant by that? I'd really appreciate it. =D I'm glad someone noticed the little humor in that part.  
  
Aster Anucarr: OMG! Stop giving out the story to everyone!!! ^^ Oh well, I know there's at least ONE surprise in there... and about Rogue being crazy... *grins* Btw, thanks for adding my story to your favorite list!  
  
snow queen: Haha, well, the kind of disorder that Rogue has is hard to find in its early stages because they're the things that normal teenagers go through most of the time until they grow out of it. So, no, you're not psycho... or maybe you are. I don't know you well enough so I can't say anything... haha, I'm just making it worse, aren't I? Okay, insert foot in mouth.  
  
Overall, thanks for the great reviews you guys have given and the time you've taken to read this. If you're confused on some parts, don't worry, you're supposed to be, but if the story wears on and you still don't get a part, email me and maybe I can clear it up by either explaining it to you or by fixing/creating a chapter.  
  
I'll try ASAP to get the next chapter out but it make take a week or more; be patient please and keep reading and reviewing! =D 


	4. Ch 3 Bring Me to Life

A/N: Yay! Some people actually take my writing seriously! =D   
  
Queondapio: I appreciate the criticism but this is only the beginning of the story. I've still got some chapters to go in setting up Rogue's conditions and I've only dabbled in the beginning effects of her illness (which I'm sure most people have figured out). And yes, the story was eventually going to come to the list of paranoia Rogue would be experiencing but I do appreciate the care and time you've taken to point everything out to me. =P Shows me at least someone cares and it helped me plan out exactly HOW to build up to that extreme point.  
  
Yes, Rogue's mental illness is caused by a physical factor as well, but I just didn't give it out yet. About the medication, I have no clue on how to treat her "illness" but, I'll go with what you said, since you're the expert. ^^ And about it being an incurable disease... whoever said Rogue was going to be cured? *raised eyebrows then cackles* It's all just pieces of a puzzle right now, so if things sound unbelievable and confusing, it'll clear up sooner or later. =D  
  
Bunny angel: Same thing as above. The reason why it doesn't sound real is because the professor isn't too sure himself on what caused Rogue's illness. He "believes" it's because of the strain of the psyches in her mind, but.... is it? Does that help? ^^   
  
Gothic Rogue: Yeah, I need major help with the accent. =D It'd be great if you could help me.  
  
*Phew* I think that's it for now. ^^ Even though I sound like I know what I'm doing, I don't. Thanks for helping me out queondapio and bunny angle for helping me organize my thoughts and how to put it down; I knew what I was gonna do but not how.  
  
Thank you to all my other reviewers as well for reading this and keep it up! Btw, since when did I say Rogue had schizophrenia? *raises eyebrows* Hmmmm....  
  
btw, format is freakin whacky and I can't fix it no matter how much I try. =T  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
On with the story~  
  
--------------------------------------  
  
Disclaimer: Bring Me to Life by Evanescence  
  
warning: one mild squeamish scene   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Drip. Drip.  
  
Soft footsteps padded down the expansive hallway, as Rogue looked uncertainly around. Where was that noise coming from? She looked in every door as she passed by in the Institute and they spoke of emptiness; no one was there.  
  
"...Kurt?"  
  
Drip. Drip.  
  
The noise was coming from the bathroom. "Scott?" Rogue's hand hovered over the doorknob, but she gathered up her courage and determinedly pushed open the door.  
  
It was too much. The smell of rotting flesh gagged her breathing and she gasped for air as she clung to the door in shock at the mangled body pieces laid strewn across the floor. She sucked in a sharp cry at the sight of the Professor Xavier layin calmly in the blood-filled bathtub and numbly realized he was the only one uninjured. Red water dripped from the showerhead into his open mouth and she watched in horror as he drank it.  
  
His head snapped to her side and his eyes flapped open. Smiling a crooked grin, the Professor softly whispered, "You're next, darling."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
She woke up screaming.  
  
"Rogue? Rogue!" She cringed at Rogue's slashing hands, causing Rogue to cry out louder.  
  
'Look at how she back away from you and you call her a friend?'  
  
'They're all against you, Rogue; it's up to you to stop them.'  
  
'Kill them...'  
  
'The voices! Why won't it stop???' She kept screaming.  
  
"Professor!" Kitty yelled. She tried to calm her. "It's okay, Rogue, it's only a nightmare... shhh..."  
  
Gradually, Rogue quieted and sniffled as she curled into a ball, shivering. Kitty made the curious students go back to their dorms as Rogue mumbled, "Nightmare... just a nightmare... it's just a nightmare..."  
  
"Rogue."  
  
Her breath quickened at the sound of his voice and she whimpered. Edging to the corner, she muttered, "Stay away from meh. Leave meh alone you murderer!"  
  
Kitty looked confused and watched Rogue break into another fit of hysteria as the Professor calmly tried to soothe her.  
  
"It's okay Rogue, it was just a nightmare. It never happened."  
  
"No, no... it was... real..." Rogue visibly shook herself and seemed to return to a fraction of her normal self. "What's that?"  
  
Taking advantage of the moment of peace, he dropped the two pills in her hand and said, "These will make the nightmares go away."  
  
Both Rogue and Kitty eyed him suspiciously. What was going on? Rogue wasn't sick... was she?  
  
Kitty opened her mouth to say something but Rogue beat her to it. "Thank you, Professor." She paused for a second and proceeded to the bathroom. "Ah think Ah'll be all right now." Rogue closed the door behind her and the familiar sound of running water was heard.  
  
"Professor...?"  
  
He sighed. "Risperidone and fluoxetine." At Kitty's silence, he nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid the rumors are true."  
  
------------------------------  
  
"Nice acting skills, Rogue."  
  
"Shuddup Christine." Rogue rinsed her mouth with the cold tap water and spit it back out. Wiping her hands on the towel, she drew in a shaky breath. "Mah head hurts."  
  
"Throw the pills away."  
  
"...Ah know." Rogue pursed her lips as she flushed them down the toilet. For all she knew, the professor was hiding his plan and these pills were drugs to impair her ability to fight back. The small spark of fear flamed and she leaned over the sink.  
  
"I'm your only friend, Rogue. You can't trust anyone here. They're all out to get you."  
  
"...Ah know."  
  
Christine stared at her as sweat beaded Rogue's brow and watched her fight an inner battle. She added softly, "They all hate you. You hafta hide."  
  
"...Ah know."  
  
---------------------------------  
  
She opened her eyes. Was she in another dream? She walked down the empty hallway and the familiar scene of empty rooms embeddeded fear into her heart. Her feet led her to the same bathroom despite her growing anxiety and will to run.  
  
Her hand hovered over the doorknob and she pushed it open.  
  
Another world greeted her and she walked numbingly into the darkness. Where were her feet taking her? Suddenly, a tremor rippled through the air and she was falling. Rogue screamed but the noise was sucked into nothingness. People she recognized walked around oblivious to the tremor and her eyes widened. Why was she the only one falling? Didn't anyone see her?  
  
Her worst fear was becoming true. Slowly, she'll fade away into nothing and no one will remember her. Did it matter though? Everyone hated her already; they wanted to kill her. Rogue sighed and accepted falling into the hungry mouth of darkness.  
  
Strong arms encircled her and her green eyes snapped open in surprise. Tilting her head up, she looked into those familiar eyes of red on black.  
  
  
  
How can you see into my eyes like open doors  
  
leading you down into my core  
  
where I've become so numb without a soul my spirit sleeping somewhere cold  
  
until you find it there and lead it back home  
  
  
  
She whispered, "How...?" He only held her closer to him and she closed her eyes. Why was it whenever she thought of him that she felt secure and safe? She realized she wasn't falling anymore.  
  
  
  
(Wake me up)  
  
Wake me up inside.  
  
(I can't wake up)  
  
Wake me up inside  
  
(Save me)  
  
call my name and save me from the dark  
  
(Wake me up)  
  
bid my blood to run  
  
(I can't wake up)  
  
before I come undone  
  
(Save me)  
  
save me from the nothing I've become  
  
  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
He only smiled.  
  
  
  
Now that I know what I'm without  
  
you can't just leave me  
  
breathe into me and make me real  
  
bring me to life  
  
(Wake me up)  
  
Wake me up inside.  
  
(I can't wake up)  
  
Wake me up inside  
  
(Save me)  
  
call my name and save me from the dark  
  
(Wake me up)  
  
bid my blood to run  
  
(I can't wake up)  
  
before I come undone  
  
(Save me)  
  
save me from the nothing I've become  
  
  
  
Hesitantly, she reached up to his face and touched him. Nothing. Her heart pounded with fear. This wasn't real; it couldnt' be. But how she wished with her heart that it could be.  
  
"Are you... an angel?"  
  
Then she woke up.  
  
  
  
Frozen inside without your touch without your love darling  
  
only you are the life among the dead  
  
all this time I can't believe I couldn't see  
  
kept in the dark but you were there in front of me  
  
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems  
  
got to open my eyes to everything  
  
without a thought without a voice without a soul  
  
don't let me die here  
  
there must be something more  
  
bring me to life  
  
  
  
Slowly, Rogue looked around and saw Kitty's sleeping form. Disappointment seeped into her but she brushed it aside. Self-pity won however and she curled into a ball. She was scared and alone; Rogue knew Kitty was only with her because she was keeping tabs on her. Sooner or later, they would stop pretending and kill her. She lay still in her bed, calculating her escape from the house of a madman.  
  
  
  
(Wake me up)  
  
Wake me up inside  
  
(I can't wake up)  
  
Wake me up inside  
  
(Save me)  
  
Call my name and save me from the dark  
  
(Wake me up)  
  
bid my blood to run  
  
(I can't wake up)  
  
before I come undone  
  
(Save me)  
  
save me from the nothing I've become  
  
(Bring me to life)  
  
I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside  
  
(Bring me to life)  
  
  
  
She turned to her side and her eyes landed on her alarm clock and next to it lay a card. Picking it up, Rogue turned it over; it was the King of Hearts. 


	5. Ch 4 Change in People

The silvery-blue hue enchanted her.  
  
Her hands touched the cold metal and did not flinch at the sight of blood; the blade was sharper than she expected. Fingers retreating from the deathly, but seemingly serene old sword, Rogue settled to a contented silence.  
  
Metal. One of the few things she could touch without absorbing its life substance. Somehow, the lifeless samuari sword comforted her.  
  
"Beautiful isn't it?"  
  
Rogue whirled around and white ringlets blew across her face. Resembling that of a crouching cat ready to flee, she studied the intruder. Edging away from him slowly, she murmured, "Yeah."  
  
Oblivious to Rogue's discomfort, Bobby continued, "Dunno why the Professor would keep something like this, but," he shrugged, "that's the Professor's business."  
  
Hearing no response, Bobby turned around, but frowned. Rogue was gone. He shrugged and went to search for Ray.  
  
Though Rogue had given signs of all intentions of avoiding the room, from that night on, almost everyday she visited the sword.  
  
--------------------------------------  
  
Rogue shook her head stubbornly. "No, no, no!"  
  
Kitty pulled at her covered arm and persisted, "But you like STINK, Rogue. You haven't showered for like days and it's embarrasing how you like walk around like this!"  
  
Similar to a child, Rogue kept shaking her head. "No, yah don't understand!" Her lips pressed into a thin line and resisted Kitty's attempts in dragging her to the bathroom.  
  
Rolling her eyes, Kitty threw up her hands and placed one on her hip. "Like, fine then. What don't I like understand?"  
  
Turning her fearful eyes to Kitty's irritated face, Rogue whispered, "Ah'll disappear."  
  
About to laugh, Kitty stopped when she saw the seriousness of Rogue's face and her nervous green eyes. She softly asked, "How?"  
  
Rogue hugged her arms to herself. "Ah'm already a shadow that anyone can barely see. If Ah wash that away, Ah'll disappear." Tears of desperation began to shine at the corners of her eyes. "Pleahse Kitty, don't make meh go in there. Pleahse." She began to break down and cry.  
  
Alarmed, Kitty gathered her into her arms and despite Rogue's desperate need of a shower and her stringy hair as proof, she sniffed her and said, "Well, you don't smell that bad." Patting Rogue's head like she was a young child, Kitty listened to Rogue's quiet sobs.  
  
'What's happening to you Rogue?'  
  
Aloud, Kitty said, "Hey. You're not like gonna disappear. I promise. I'll even like help you wash." Noticing Rogue's docile behavior, she lead her to the bathroom and began to turn on the bath. She sighed. "Thank God the others can't see me now."  
  
Rogue stripped herself from her clothing and tentatively edged into the bath. She allowed Kitty to administer the cleaning and when they were done, Rogue began dressing herself.  
  
Kitty smiled. "See? That like wasn't so bad."  
  
Rogue only looked at her gravely. Looking back at the mirrors, she whispered, "But Ah can't see mahself anymore."  
  
Ignoring her obviously nonsense words, Kitty just responded, "C'mon, let's get something to eat."  
  
--------------------------------------  
  
It was another noisy clatter of students talking while shoving food into their mouths. Amid the ordinary hustle, one girl picked at her food and stared hard at the red-head. It had been Jean's turn to help out serving the dinner as every senior was entitled to do at least once a week, but Rogue couldn't help feeling doubt at the soup in front of her.  
  
Picking at it, she drew the attention of Bobby, who asked, "Not hungry?" At Rogue's sullen silence, he chewed on his breadstick thoughtfully and waved it around while talking with his mouth full. "Ya know, it's not like the food's poisoned. Pretty good if you ask me." Rogue's icy glare reduced his flair of speaking to undignified muttering. "Or not, you're decision."  
  
Shoving the bowl away, she answered quietly, "S'alright. Not hungry, anyway." Looking at the school-like atmosphere, she shrugged. "Rather get a glass of water, if tha's okay with yah." Without waiting for an answer, she got up to leave.  
  
During their conversation, Scott and Jean were having their own heated battle.  
  
"God, who does she think she is?"  
  
Scott cleaned his glasses, which was kind of hard to do when he wasn't able to open his eyes to check for the dirty spots. He sighed a sign of defeat, and put them back on. "Rogue's Rogue. She's usually moody, self-pitys herself, and always in depression." Scott shrugged while picking at his scrambled eggs. "It's not like you can change her, Jean."  
  
The red-head speared her pancakes and her lips thinned to a line. "Who says I can't?"  
  
Kitty rolled her eyes. "Like, get a reality check. Since when did you think you can do everything, Jean?"  
  
Kurt chuckled. "Since like forever," he imitated Kitty's voice and busied himself with his food to avoid Jean's frigid glare and Kitty's glowering look.  
  
Drinking her O.J, Ororo smiled. "Children."  
  
Wolverine came inside the mess hall, and seeing Scott and Jean bickering, Kitty making snide remarks on Jean once in a while, Kurt laughing at everyone, and Daniel practically eating everything in sight, and everyone else edged away from the original Institute crew, Logan's eyebrows raised. "Just another normal day at the Institute, humph?" He looked around and noticed Rogue sitting away from the normal crew. He frowned.  
  
Gruffly, he asked, "Why's Rogue not with you guys?"  
  
Jean scoffed. "What do you think? Miss Too-Good-For-Us has obviously plucked the courage to finally ditch us." She glared at Daniel. "What are you looking at?"  
  
His face in marvel, he asked in an awed voice, "How do you eat without getting a spot of syrup on yourself?" Miffed at his random question, Jean did not answer and went back to eating.  
  
Scott sighed. "Good morning, Wolverine."  
  
"Like, I told you, she's PMSing!"  
  
Kurt chewed thoughtfully. "That would explain a lot."  
  
Jean fumed. "Why does everyone have to pick on me?"  
  
"'Cause you're gorgeous, athletic, smart, and everything anyone ever wants to be," Scott assured her.   
  
At Jean's contented and smug look, Kurt whispered to Daniel, "What a lapdog."  
  
Before havoc was wreaked upon the already chaotic dinner, Jean noticed Rogue standing up to leave. Jean's day was not going well, and seeing Rogue, the start of their conversation, sparked a meanness in Jean that usually is not provoked.  
  
"What, is the food not good enough for you?" Jean's snide voice called above the noise.  
  
The clatter and noise dimmed as the students realized the speaker of those bitter words.  
  
visibly uncomfortable, Rogue didn't answer and proceeded her way to the kitchen.  
  
Throwing down the chair as she hastily got out of her seat, Jean hissed, "What, am I not worthy enough to talk to now?" About to hurl more insults at her, Jean stopped at Rogue's expression.  
  
Something wasn't right.  
  
The way Rogue walked, the way she held herself, just wasn't right. Rogue's dark aura was even darker and her eyes glinted with something like fear.  
  
Jean wasn't the only one to notice Rogue's odd behavior. Kurt whispered up, "I don't think vight now is dee time to mess with people's heads, ya?"  
  
Ignoring Kurt's words, Jean touched Rogue's mind, but cringed, unknowingly crumbling to the floor. Her mind had incredible mental barriers, surprisingly strong and strange, but how was she able to obtain such a feat?  
  
The others not knowing what caused Jean's sudden collaspe all gave Rogue nervous looks, who only ducked her head and fled to the kitchen.  
  
Wide-eyed, Kitty asked no one in particular, "What was that all about?"  
  
----------------------------------  
  
Panic. More panic. Surreal colors. Then white.  
  
Staring blankly up at the white ceiling, Rogue's vision was obscurred by Christine's peering face into her line of sight.   
  
"Tell me Rogue, where's your angel now?"  
  
Rogue's hand was clutching the worn card, as if trying to hold onto a fading dream. In the other, was the bottle of pills the Professor had issued her. She slowly blinked at Christine and faced the other side of her bed. Traces of tears made its way down Rogue's face, dampening the pillow.  
  
"Go away Christine. Ah don't feel lahke talkin'."  
  
The following silence spoke of Christine's absence.  
  
Rogue studied the card and then the drab colored pills. Two decisions were laid in front of her; two paths. One of them were names she could not pronounce while the other was an old letter read an often amount of times.  
  
'You've seen the looks in their eyes when Jean blanched away from you...'  
  
Another voice seemed to laugh in her head. 'We warned you, didn't we?'  
  
'But you're too soft to do anything about it,' another simpered sarcastically.  
  
Searing pain clutched at her head and Rogue muffled a scream. Her tears grew and she whimpered, "Stop..."  
  
But the voices refused to listen and Rogue lasped into tortured silence.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/n: Been awhile, hasn't it? Sorry for the delay but internet was down and had to go through all the trouble of finding another company. They, in turn, brought the connection two months later than I thought they would. Oh well. I make up for my absence with two chapters.  
  
Queondapio- English isn't your first language? Well you coulda fooled me. Haha, but then again, English isn't my first language either. The King of Hearts was the card Remy had first given to Rogue when he had met her. My memory's kind of fuzzy, but I think it flamed up in her hand and she put out the fire. I'm also not sure if it was the King of Hearts or the QUEEN of hearts.  
  
Keep rolling in those reviews guyz, I appreciate your love. =D 


	6. Ch 5 Lies, Lies, Lies

"I have an assignment for you." A gloved hand slid the thin envelope across the desk.  
  
Slouched on the chair, Pietro straightened and casually snatched it, opening it with lightning speed. A photograph of a girl with snowy bangs fluttered to the floor while he read the contents.  
  
"I understand that you have a certain... 'relationship' with her."  
  
Pietro kept a stoic face. "What of it?"  
  
The gloved hand raked through a mess of gray hair and rubbed the tired, but determined lines across a face. "Her powers would be of great use to my plan." At Pietro's silence, he continued, "Build a closer bond with the girl and bring her over to our side."  
  
With graceful ease, Pietro pocketed the fallen picture into his shirt pocket. "Of course, Father."  
  
Magneto tapped the desk with one finger and let the sound resound through the quiet. Pietro took it as a sign of dismissal, and abruptly stood up, already heading out to the door.  
  
"One more thing."  
  
The speedster paused at the doorway and turned around, his face expressionless.  
  
"Emotions are a weakness." Magneto also held a placid expression and scrutinized his son carefully.  
  
"I already know that, sir."  
  
Magneto chuckled, but it was cold and hollow. "Good, because you'll need to remember that."  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
Gambit took a long drag from his cigarette as he studied the students chattering, laughing their way to class. His eyes darted from one teen to another while he fingered the cards inside the pocket of his worn, brown trenchcoat.  
  
He didn't see her.  
  
Snuffing the cigarette out under his shoe, Gambit stuffed his hands in his pockets and plunged into the young crowd. Girls eyed the Cajun stranger and giggled at his disarmimng smile and nonchalant waves.   
  
He still didn't see her.  
  
"So, like, are you new here or something?"  
  
Gambit sighed inwardly as a tall and gorgeous blonde blocked his pathway. His eyes roamed her figure and he smirked. 'Not bad, but not good enough.' With a thick accent, he murmured, "Non, jus' visiting."  
  
Courtney fluttered her eyelashes at his sensual, heavy voice and her friends giggled. "So, like, what's someone like you doing here?"  
  
That's when he saw her.   
  
Giving a lazy wave, he winked at them and watched with satisfaction as they practically drooled. Thumbing his direction toward a quiet, demure girl searching through her locker, he said, "Remy's wit' da fille," and ducked out of their way.  
  
Rogue gave a small start as she felt raging jealousy and heated glares behind her back. She shrugged it off and fished out her chemistry book. Right at the moment she slammed her locker shut, pain swelled inside her head. She clutched it with one hand as she fell against the lockers, falling to her knees.  
  
'Just give up...'  
  
Rogue bit the wrenching scream inside.  
  
The students were oblivious to her suffering and walked around her.  
  
Gambit frowned at the scene and weaved his way against the flow of students. Wrenching free from the current, his shadow fell across her slumped figure and she looked up. Time stilled as they stared at each other.  
  
He was surprised at her limp figure; her tired eyes drowned him with their hollowness. Opening his empathy, he became engulfed in a turmoil of sorrow, hatred, conflicted feelings, confusion, and vengeance, but what chilled him was the emptiness inside her.   
  
She felt no love.  
  
"Save me..."  
  
He could barely hear her words and was once again swept by the flurry of students rushing to class when the bell rang. His head turned back to where she was, but she was gone.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
"Well-if-it-isn't-my-best-friend-in-the-whole-wide-world!" (1)  
  
"Shut it grandpa." Rogue proceeded to walk alone.  
  
Feigning a hurt look, Pietro asked in a slower pace, "Now is that any way to treat a friend? And I thought you said you weren't mad at me."  
  
"Ah'm not." Dismissing this, Rogue breathed in the hazy air and started to walk. A hand grabbed her shoulder, preventing her from walking without awkwardness and she threw a withering look behind her shoulder. About to bitch him off, she stopped at Pietro's words.  
  
"You hear voices in your head, don't you?" he asked softly.  
  
Thinned lips denied, "Ah don't know what yah're tahlkin' about," but the slight tremor in her voice betrayed her shaken nerves.  
  
Ignoring Rogue's words, he persisted, "Do you trust me Rogue?"  
  
She shook off his hand and snapped, "Who do yah think yah are, mah mom?" Never for the world would she tell Pietro that ego-headed jerk that of course he was the only person she would ever trust.  
  
And that he had broken that trust with his father.  
  
As if reading Rogue's mind, he said quietly, "He's my father. I don't have a choice, but he can help you, Rogue. He can make them stop."  
  
With eyes of a caged animal, she said in a low voice, "Yahr father can do nothing. Nobody can." Before Pietro could protest, Rogue fled down the street, cursing Scott for leaving her to a situation like this.  
  
The breeze laughed mockingly at Pietro who only matched speed for speed with the wind. Rushing homeward, he fell into a fit of laughter. Cold, harsh laughter. He knew Rogue better than anyone else did, and he knew he had her right where he wanted her.  
  
She would come crawling back to him sooner or later.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
Lies. They were all lies.  
  
Angry tears spilled from her eyes, which she furiously wiped away. Throwing books everywhere, Rogue managed to dent the wall and break a few ornaments.  
  
Kitty knew better to interfere and let Rogue deal out her emotions. After all, it wasn't everyday you found out you're best friend was the enemy leader. Knowing better than to say anything, Kitty hastily ducked out of the room once a book flew at the opening door.  
  
Rogue fell into a heap of hysterical fit of giggles and hiccuped at her stupid flowing rain of tears. The irony didn't fail to amuse her.  
  
Christine studied the brunette with snowy locks and said softly, "What I tell yah? Trust is a rare thing to see anymore, Rogue. No one is capable of keeping it anymore."  
  
Looking up through blurry eyes, Rogue stared and spat out, "Shut up. Yah got no right to tell meh who t' trust." An undertone of bitterness mixed with wistful sighs hinted in her voice. "Yah're not even real."  
  
Her eyes flashed at her accusation. She hissed, "Is that how you treat you're only friend, Rogue? Tell me, who else has stood by your side for this long? Even Kitty abandoned you at your time of need. I don't see your so-called-brother of yours with you either. Your one best friend was a fraud." With contempt, she sneered, "Nobody gives a shit about you, Rogue. You're nothing. Even if I wasn't real, I'm the closest thing you have to a friend."  
  
Rogue blinked. Christine was right. Nobody did care. In fact, she was becoming such a nuisance, they were plotting to kill her. Determination marked her face. No way in hell was she going to give into their wishes anymore. Practically flying to her dresser, Rogue dug out a duffle bag from under her bed and began tossing her belongings into it.  
  
Christine lazed on the bed and blinked lazily at her. A smile grew on her face and she said, "So, we going on a trip?" She stretched with amazingly similarity to that of a cat. "Ya know, it's raining out there. Maybe we should take some umbrellas."  
  
"Yah can do whatever. Ah'm going alone." She dragged out a covered parcel from under her bed.  
  
Eyes widened, Christined asked in mock shock, "Hmm, is that the Professor's treasured sword? Since when did you have the time to nick it?" She giggle when a thought flitted through her head. "Do you even know how to swing it?"  
  
Her bag zipped shut and thunder boomed, lightning streaking in the air. Ignoring Christine's question, Rogue silently fingered the worn card. She had long ago flushed the pills, choosing her pathway. It was no good going right now; people would notice.  
  
She had to wait until midnight.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
Rogue ran. She ran like she never had before and wove in and out of the woods like she was part of it. A nimble-footed deer would have found no better competition and Rogue herself was surprised at her speed. The rain continued its downpour and her combat boots squelched as it hit the mud and grass.  
  
Grief was her burden and her friend. It hurt her countless times but it showed the result of caring, trust and love. Rogue was through with that. Her waterproof bag hit her back every step she ran, reminding her that she was leaving all the lies, lies, lies.  
  
No more hurt, no more pain. But was she happy with no friends? She was going insane, but no one was going to be there for her. But did crazy people ever know they were crazy?  
  
Crashing into someone, Rogue was jerked from her thoughts as she looked up bewilderingly. Had they come for her?  
  
"Rogue?" Pietro unknowingly clasped Rogue into a protective hug. Studying her face, he noted how her eyes seemed to shine from the rain, or where those tears?  
  
Rogue rested her head on Pietro. Not questioning why he was suddenly there, she began blathering like a child, "No more... no more. No one else... don't know what to do... take meh home... where's my angel? No one... forgotten, I'm forgotten..."  
  
Something flickered within Pietro, a feeling of warmth he had not felt for years. Crushing it down, he only held Rogue as she sobbed out her tears.  
  
He smiled. Rogue had come crawling back as he had predicted.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: (1) Think it's easier for people to read when I space it out with lines like that. It means he's talking fast though, too.  
  
Sorry for my lack of response to people who have diligently reviewed and emailed me. Okay, now lay on the criticism on my poor writing. I need the reviews. 


	7. Ch 6 Blood

A/N: Howard Livington is my character.  
  
Disclaimer: Butterfly by Tapping the Vein  
  
Rogue stirred sleepily. Hearing a rustle, she swiftly grabbed her sword, unsheathing it in a second. Quiet reigned for what seemed an eternity until a bird peeped. Relaxing her grip on the hilt, Rogue deftly swung it back inside it's cover.  
  
Her movements spoke of experience.  
  
Searching the room she was in with her eyes, Rogue sighed. Judging by random girl undergarments, she was in Pietro's room. Picking up the bed cover she had thrown onto the floor, Rogue crisply made his bed and grabbed her pack that was under his bed.  
  
Something similar to screeching grated her ears and she winced, clutching her ears. Hurling the door open with a slam, she glared down the hallway at a surprised Todd.  
  
He raised up his hands as an attempt to fend off himself and said, "Yo, this time it ain't me."  
  
"SHUT UP PIETRO!" screamed out a voice from one of the run-down rooms. "Some people are still asleep!"  
  
"Not anymore!" Pietro's chirped from the bathroom, but he stopped singing.  
  
An audible, "Finally," was heard, but no sooner was that said, Pietro started singing again and this time it was an attempt at one of Justin Timberlake's songs.  
  
"ARGH!!!" Mystique's room busted open with a fuming goth female whom Rogue looked at with surprise. Ignoring the white-banged female, Wanda furiously banged on the bathroom door. "ANYTHING BUT THAT SONG!!!"  
  
Rogue watched with amusement when Todd hastily hopped out of harm's way and a disgruntled Lance emerged from his room with a "What the hell's going on?" Noticing Rogue, his brows quirked nonplussed at her existence in this household.   
  
While chaos raged between a maddeningly cheerful Pietro and a frightening Wanda, Lance drew Rogue to the side and hissed, "What're you doing here?"  
  
"What? Am Ah not welcome anymore?" At Lance's searching look, she snapped, "Look, Ah don't want t' tahlk 'bout it."  
  
Lance shrugged. "Fine by me. Just making sure it was okay with your X-geeks."  
  
If he hadn't known Rogue, he could have sworn the flash in her eyes were of sadness, but Rogue gave a mirthless chuckle.  
  
"You need a ride to school?"  
  
Both of them ignoring the ongoing bickering in the background, Rogue waved Lance off as she retreated back to Pietro's room. "Ah'ma take a sick day. Ah don't feel too well," she lied.  
  
The door shut with a final note and Lance frowned thoughtfully.  
  
"DON'T MAKE ME HURT YOU!"  
  
"EEEEEEEK!"  
  
Lance shook his head. Kids. They definitely were kids.  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
"She's hasn't like, been to school for two weeks and I haven't like, seen her at all lately. Where is she, Professor?" Kitty Pryde persisted with concern. "All of us are really worried about her."  
  
Xavier sighed. "I can't locate Rogue's exact whereabouts."  
  
Sorry for the time she snapped at Rogue, Jean explained in a defeated note, "Rogue somehow has built up her mental shields. Even the Professor can't break through it and it makes it difficult for either one of us to know where she is exactly."  
  
Confused, Kitty asked, "How is that? Isn't it like, impossible to have strong mental barriers?"  
  
Under his breath, Xavier voiced, "Yes, it is indeed strange."  
  
Hesitating, Kitty softly continued, "But it's not just that I'm worried about her sudden disappearance." Pausing, she began, "She's been acting weird lately and I'm sure everyone's noticed by now. Is something wrong with her, Professor? Like, I mean, we all knew Rogue had kind of an odd side, but..." she trailed off. Taking another breath, she blushed. "I know it's wrong, but I read Rogue's diary and it has stuff in there that like, seems to point at insanity."  
  
Inwardly debating whether his students should know, Charles slowly drummed his fingers in silence.  
  
Glancing at Xavier, Jean started haltingly, "I think what the Professor's not trying to say is, Rogue has schizophrenia."  
  
Kitty blinked. Schizophrenia? But... it wasn't possible. "Is... schizophrenia curable?"  
  
"If caught in the early stages, yes, but not completely."  
  
"Is she...?"  
  
Xavier interrupted gently, "It is too late. The only kind of treatment we can offer her now is the care given by the medical centers that specialize in this."  
  
At her unspoken question, the Professor sighed, "I have never known anyone to heal completely."  
  
"Then...?"  
  
He looked at the two girls with sadness. "The Rogue we know will be lost to us."  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
Rogue opened her eyes. The usually vivacious, bright emerald fire was burning low, in a dull, cold blaze.  
  
She was sitting with her legs to her chest, her sword cradled by her shoulder and the nightly sounds greeted her waking ears. Leaning her back against the tree, she waited silently in the shadows.  
  
'It's time,' whispered the voice in her head.  
  
Christine appeared to her side. "They're all against you, Rogue. They're trying to take you back even as we speak, but you know what'll happen if they get their hands on you." Becoming business-like, she said crisply, "Howard Livington is a leader of a secret mutant organization. His people are helping Charles Xavier find you."  
  
She studied the unresponsive Rogue. "You know what to do."  
  
Still sitting, Rogue unsheathed her sword and examined the blue blaze. Heaving to her feet, Rogue sprinted down the road with curious ease and calmness.  
  
~*~  
  
What Am I?  
  
I Wish I Was A Butterfly   
  
I'd Fly And Fly   
  
Until It Was My Time To Die  
  
It's Creeping In Again  
  
I Know What I Really Am  
  
No More Pretty, Purple,  
  
Peaceful Butterfly  
  
~*~  
  
It was not yet dark, for there was light, although it was dimming. Stopping in front of a coporation building, Rogue looked up to the looming intimidation and walked inside. Immediately, Rogue found the meeting room and brushed past the secretary.  
  
The secretary bristled impatiently and stood up, attempting to stop the strange young woman. "Excuse me, miss! You're not allowed to---" Her sentence was obscured when a shining blade pierced into her side.  
  
~*~  
  
Simple Life  
  
If I Were A Butterfly  
  
I'd Fly And Fly   
  
Until It Was My Time To Die  
  
Its Creeping In Again  
  
I Know What I Really Am  
  
No More Pretty, Purple,  
  
Peaceful Butterfly  
  
~*~  
  
Pulling the blade out with ease, Rogue ignored the horrified gasps around her and cut off the woman's head. Better a simple death than a painful one.  
  
The meeting door burst open and Howard said with annoyance, "We're in the middle of a meeting!"  
  
Rogue searched the room and her eyes landed on a middle-aged male with graying hair in a black suit, as if he were about to attend a funeral.  
  
'Leave no traces...'  
  
Slicing through the elderly bunch of middle-aged men, Rogue brutally cut carelessly, but with dead aim. Blood showered her hair and drenched the room, filling the place with the stench of death. Not one to pleasure in mutilation, Rogue swiftly ended each and every one of their lives, until Howard was left.  
  
~*~  
  
Come See The Blood That's In My Bed  
  
Come Hear The Things  
  
That Nobody Talks About  
  
Shut Up You Mouth  
  
Shame On You Shame On Me  
  
~*~  
  
Sweating, the man pleaded with the young teen. "Please... I have a family."  
  
Rogue said dully, "They've already been disposed of. It's time you've joined them." Without a further word, Rogue sliced heavily through his body, breaking his bones as she cut through them with ease.  
  
The two body pieces lay on the floor while blood gushed over Rogue's boots and the man's fingers twitched before his eyes rolled lifelessly and breath no longer occupied his lungs.  
  
Crouching down, Rogue examined the man's body before wiping her sword on his half-drenched suit. Like sweatlines, blood tinged her face and dripped from her hair to the red, red floor.  
  
~*~  
  
Look At Me   
  
I Wish I Was A Honey Bee  
  
Anything, Anything Other Than  
  
The Things I Have Been  
  
I Slip Out Of My Skin   
  
So I Don't Have To Do It Again  
  
But Just A Passing Thought   
  
And Your Filth Is Seeping In  
  
~*~  
  
Then she was flying. Bursting from the windows, shattering the heavy glass like it was ice, Rogue fell towards the ground, not noticing the shouts and alarm hurled at her. Before she hit the floor, she suddenly disappeared. Sirens wailed of their too late arrival while witnesses looked stupidly at the spot the girl should have been crushed on.  
  
Back at the Brotherhood's home, Pietro gently laid the sleeping Rogue into the tub. He ran the shower and watched fascinated at the pink water washing down the drain.   
  
Rogue's eyes fluttered open, the pink water dripping from her eyelashes and she looked up quietly, into the blue eyes of her friend. Though she hadn't said a word, her eyes challenged him to speak against her, against the actions she had committed.  
  
Pietro only picked up her leather-gloved hands and placed a bar of soap into it. He left her to her chaotic thoughts and she felt the water patter over her body for what seemed like eternity. Her clothes had soaked up the water and washed out the blood but Rogue could still feel it. She could still feel the blood covering her body.  
  
~*~  
  
Come Scrub My Hands   
  
They Won't Come Clean  
  
Come Sit With Me  
  
While The Walls Press In On Me  
  
Shut Off That Light   
  
Shame On You. Shame On Me.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Confused? Good. Explanations will come later on. x) Anyway, review, review, review! 


	8. Ch 7 Empty Future

Noticing Pietro waiting outside the bathroom, Lance approached him. He saw the blood stains in Pietro's shirt and asked, "Something happened?"  
  
Not directly answering his question, Pietro glanced back at the door. The shower could still be heard and he looked directly at Lance before turning away.  
  
"I think she's trying to drown herself."  
  
Like most friends, Lance accepted the subtle explanation and the two boys lasped into silence.  
  
--------------------  
  
"Jennifer reporting live from the HL Bayville Corporation. Tragedy has once again graced the city of Bayville. 43 victims have been slaughtered in what looked like careless murder, and with no consideration of the consequences.   
  
Officials refuse to indulge in details and all we can assume is that this was the work of a madman on a frustrated rampage; probably an ex-employee.  
  
The strange thing though, is that despite the large capacity of people inside the building, no one has seen the face of the murderer. Witnesses claim that he or she shattered through the window and disappeared right before their eyes. Many of the people related to the victims fear that they are the next targets and plead witness protection.  
  
Who is this mysterious blood-thirsty killer, no one knows. This is channel 5, reporting live. Back to you, Tim."  
  
Kitty clicked off the TV. Covering her face, Kitty whispered, "Like, where are you Rogue?"  
  
Shrill ringing burst at her side and Kitty slowly picked it up. "Lance?"  
  
"Did you see the news?"  
  
Holding the phone with both hands, Kitty nodded, but remembered that he couldn't see through the phone. "Yeah..."  
  
Tangible quiet loomed in the air and Lance broke it. "She's... sick, isn't she?"  
  
At this, Kitty cried, "I don't know what to do! She like, needs help but she ran away from us and now, this happens. What are we like, supposed to do?"  
  
Lance quietly said, "She's here, Kitty."  
  
Kitty stuttered, "W, what?" Gripping the phone, she barraged questions at Lance. "Is she okay? What was she thinking? Does she have a decent place to sleep? Has she hurt any one of you?"  
  
After her outburst, Lance spoke up softly, "I don't think it's us she's scared of."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
He paused. "I think you better do something now, before Rogue does any more damage. Her next target most likely will be the Institute." The phone clicked, signalling his hanging up.  
  
Kitty stared at the phone, its dial tone ringing like a dead buzz cutting the room. It... wasn't possible, was it? They were Rogue's friends; she can't seriously hurt anyone of them, right?  
  
She struggled for minutes and bit her lip. 'Professor? Jean? I found Rogue.'  
  
------------------------------  
  
"Yah have forgivin' friends, Peety."  
  
He wrestled the bowl of popcorn from her and stuffed a handful into his mouth. When Rogue slowly began to slide her gloves off, he hastily passed the popcorn back to her, his hands up in defeat. She grinned cheekily and daintily ate them one by one.  
  
Pietro dejectedly sighed, wistfully looking at the slowly disappearing pile. "Why do you say that?"  
  
The dramatic music and fighting in Terminator 2 clashed on the TV screen, while she thoughtfully chewed.  
  
"Jus' thinkin' aloud, tha's all."  
  
He quirked his brows at her before mischievously grinning and snatching the remaining popcorn. They continued to watch the movie in silence until the scene where the robot transformed his hands into crowbars, clutching onto the car.  
  
"Stop!" said Pietro. "I should have known better than to trust an unlicensed plastic surgeon! Give me back my hands!"  
  
Rogue stifled a giggle and said in a low pitched voice when the terminator shot at the other robot, "Damn people. Yah'd think they actually care dat their car's being jacked."  
  
Despite the lame cracks, the two friends fell into companionable laughter.  
  
Lance watched them while leaning on the doorway. Strange. If Rogue was schizophrenic, why did she act so normal? Left to muse with his thoughts, he left the house; the jeep signaled his departure.  
  
Thunder crackled loudly and Rogue winced. At Pietro's wondering look, she explained, "Never lahked thunda' storms. S'lahke... the world's angry wit' me or somethin'."  
  
Pietro patted her arm sympathetically and that one simple action brought upon miles of comfort to her not possible to achieve from words alone.  
  
Lightning sliced the sky and thunder rolled when banging ensued upon the door.  
  
Rogue scrambled to open the door. "About time you came back Lance--" She started irritated but stopped when she glimpsed the white-coated figures. Confused, she took a step back but not before the figures lashed out at her and bound her wrists.  
  
Lightning struck and the grim faces of the Professor lighted her line of sight. "Professor...? What's the meaning of this?" She struggled with her tied hands and pleaded, "Pietro! What's going on?"  
  
But Pietro was lost in his own past, remembering the time Magneto had left Wanda. Rain had clouded that day and the young Pietro had only looked on, not doing anything to stop his father.  
  
As he was doing now.  
  
"You have schizophrenia, Rogue. It's reached a dangerous level that you have to go under intense medical care..." said the Professor, but the words were lost on Rogue as her head limped in defeat.   
  
Tears of defeat stinged her face as the white coats took her away and she climbed docilely into the car. As the car drove away, she looked back, her eyes blank, but looking deeply into Pietro's heart.  
  
Ignoring the sting that he felt within, Pietro said in a low voice while handing the Professor a package, "From Magneto; it's a device to subdue Rogue's mutant powers." Before Xavier could question Pietro, he slammed into his house.  
  
The professor shook his head and watched water drip from the black sky. "What is Eric planning now?"  
  
--------------------------  
  
Irene woke with a start. Listening to the soft patter of the rain, she sensed something wrong was lingering in the calm atmosphere. Laying in the darkness, her thoughts turned to the young girl, Rogue.  
  
With surprise, she realized she couldn't see Rogue's future. Her lips turned to a frown. In fact, she couldn't sense Rogue's future at all.  
  
Something had gone dreadfully wrong in the river of time.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: I just had a burst of inspiration but my horrible writing's ruining it. Anyway, you know the drill. There's that lil' button in the corner that says, "SUBMIT REVIEW." C'mon... it's not that hard. =P  
  
Taineyah- Fact is, I'm flattered that you would do something like dat. Go right ahead if you want to. =) 


	9. Ch 8 Bloodstained Roses

Rogue clawed at the restricting collar but it refused to budge. Panting, she tried again but only ended up with wasted energy. Lying on the white bed, she took in the white room, it's whiteness blinding her eyes.  
  
She wasn't insane but this place was making her become crazed. Wanting to throw something colorful into the blandness of the room, she could only vent her frustration by screaming. Her cry voiced rage, sadness and broken pieces of her life.  
  
Her energy spent, Rogue crawled under the covers, refusing to budge when nurses came in with food, only to take it away again untouched.  
  
She hadn't eaten for a week ever since the shock therapy. Hearing the door open, she became irritated and snapped, "Ah told yah already, Ah don't feel lahke eatin'."  
  
"Aw chere, you're breakin' Remy's heart wit' t'at tone of voice."  
  
Her heart quickened at his husky voice and she sat up, hair falling into her face. Looking stupidly at him, she demanded, "What're yah doin' here, swamp rat?"  
  
He smiled that maddening smile of his as he took a chair and casually relaxed on it. "'cos Remy felt like visitin' this beautiful fille."  
  
She remarked shrewdly, "Dun' seem lahke it. Ah think someone sent yah."  
  
Fingering his cards, Gambit feigned a hurt look. "Chere, you callin' Remy a liar?" From the inside of his trenchcoat, he pulled out a simple rose. Rogue stared at it. "For you."  
  
Enchanted by its flowering beauty, Rogue's fingers wrapped itself around the green stem only to recoil from its thorns. Taking more care to hold the rose in her hand, she closed her eyes, taking in the faint smell. Rogue despised bouquets as they were much to large and elaborate, but a single flower struck her as thoughtful and much more beautiful. A small smile played on her lips and she looked up to the serious eyes of her red-eyed angel.  
  
A low whisper. "Don't get flowers much?"  
  
"Thank you," was her reply.  
  
He rested his chin on the backseat of the chair. "Wasn't much of a flower, chere. Not'ing to get teary about."  
  
She laughed, something she hadn't done in a while. "Name's Rogue." His quizzical eyes prompted her to say, "Seriously. Ah don't remember what my name used to be."  
  
"Really?" He mused thoughtfully. "Well, Remy t'inks t'at you looks like a Marie." He nodded decisively. "Yep, Marie."  
  
"Marie." The name rolled like a foreign word on her tongue, but it intrigued her.  
  
"Mind if Remy calls chere Marie from now on?"  
  
She smiled, finally having found her light in this darkness. "Marie's fine."  
  
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"What's the matter with my daughter?? Why do they have her locked up like some mad person?!"  
  
Irene calmly waited for Mystique's anger to cool down. "Rogue is supposedly suffering from paranoia schizophrenia." Before Mystique opened her mouth to protest such absurdity, Irene continued wearily, "It's the best explanation they have for Rogue's irregular behavior."  
  
Studying Irene, Mystique said softly, "But you suspect something else."  
  
Tapping the floor with her stick, Irene nodded and said, "I've been having the same dream for many nights in a row." She paused. "And I can no longer see Rogue's future."  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
Irene kept musing as if Mystique was not there. "Yes, I wondered how such a thing was possible until the answer came to me." Shaking her head, she continued, "Of course! I was such a fool not to realize it before."  
  
"Fool! Tell me what you saw!"  
  
Once more waiting for Mystique's anger to subdue, Irene remembered out loud, "Rogue is sitting in a garden of white roses, her world of innocence untainted by the world. Her sky becomes black and blood drips from the sky, staining her white roses red. Her lips have been sewn shut and I can't hear her cries. Everything is engulfed in blackness, leaving only Rogue's limp body.  
  
Her body jerks and she begans to move again once more. Light falls upon her and the background has changed to a play theatre. Her hands and feet jerk, strings attached to her like she was some kind of marionette. Someone was controlling her and when I looked up, many faces leered back at me from above the curtains."  
  
She lulled to a stop, and Mystique prompted, "What did it mean?"  
  
"The psyches in her head have become too powerful, powerful enough to control her brain. She fought for it to the very end but she still lost." She added softly, "She is subject to their every command."  
  
Mystique sucked in a breath. "But, Charles would have known this! He would have removed the psyches immediately!"  
  
Irene let out a dry chuckle. "Charles reminds me of an overprotective father; his desire for Rogue to be perfectly fine blinded his sight of Rogue's true condition. Besides, he can not remove the psyches in fear that it would kill Rogue." She said thoughtfully, "But removing the psyches are our only option; they may be the reason for Rogue's blank future."  
  
Mystique despaired, "Then there's no hope? Nobody can help my daughter?"  
  
Irene regarded her carefully before saying, "I know somebody who can."  
  
-----------------------------  
  
Rogue woke up in a cold sweat. Her mouth had kept in the scream itching to burst out and she sucked in short breaths of air to calm herself. Her eyes closed at the all too vivid dream; blood-stained roses, empty black skies, and the strings. She shivered and wondered what it all meant.  
  
'About time you woke up.'  
  
'Did you enjoy your dream?'  
  
'Stupid, foolish little girl...'  
  
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" she screeched. Rogue kept muttering like a crazed person, trying to block out the persistant voices in her head. She would not cry! She would not succumb to them!  
  
Arms encircled around her protectively and she kept muttering into his arms. "Stop, stop, stop, stop, please..." She didn't question his existence in her cage of a room.  
  
Turning her around so that she faced him, Gambit touched her cheek gently. Not noticing that she was making skin-to-skin contact with him, she cried to his face, "Why won't they stop?"  
  
Rocking her like she was a child, Remy shushed her and planted a brotherly kiss on her forehead.  
  
This Rogue noticed.  
  
Her green eyes flickered from his lips to his smoldering eyes. Question marked her eyes but she remembered the collar on her neck. He touched her lips gently with his finger.  
  
Struggling with her emotions, she felt tortured in this cage and being able to touch left her feeling not liberated, but rather, vulnerable to the world.  
  
'Entry number something. Ah can touch,' she mentally noted not with joy, but with regret.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Two chappies in one day! Whoo me! Now click the button down there, and submit your reviews, plz.   
  
Oh, and to those out there asking for romys or rietros, if this story's not turning out the way you want it to, don't let it stop you from reading! There are more to stories than the love pairings, ya know. 


	10. Ch 9 Scrabble

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.  
  
Bored, Rogue slumped in the chair, drumming her fingers on the armrests. Every now and then, her eyes strayed from the clock back to the young, but grey-haired man sitting across from her.  
  
They gave each other stare for stare until the older man cleared his throat and said pleasantly, "Nice weather we're having."  
  
Rogue flahsed him a look that said she did not find that amusing at all and returned to studying the clock.  
  
Dr. Green let out a disappointed sigh and furrowed his brow thoughtfully at the reluctant teen. He had met tough cases before, but this one had to be the worst. She never spoke more than two sentences in a row to him and express any emotion. It was like this girl was ice through and through.  
  
Rogue chuckled as if she had read his thoughts. He glanced at her amused face and gave a half-hearted smile. "You the kind of patients who like to make my job difficult?"  
  
She shrugged. "Maybe." After a moment's pause, she said with a half-grin, "Gotta make sure yah earn yah're pay."  
  
'At least she has a sense of humor,' he thought. Taking her answers to be a sign of her willing to talk, Dr. Green asked, "Do you believe in fate?"  
  
Silence.  
  
He was about to give up waiting for her answer when he heard an unmistakeable, "Yes."  
  
More silence.  
  
He coughed and pursued, "Why?"  
  
She raised her eyebrows as if it was obvious. "Things happen for a reason. There's nothing we can do t' control or change tha future, so we hafta deal with whatever hand fate gives us."  
  
"So, the Holocaust were the Jews' fate?"  
  
"Was it their choice to let it happen?" she countered.  
  
Hiding his excitement from her rapid responses, he asked seriously, "What about you? Are you saying it was fate that you took 43 innocent lives?" Rogue's eyes widened, but she recovered quickly and did not give an answer. Taking mental notes on her reaction, he said instead, "Why are you so strong on the existence of fate?" but it was too late. Rogue had lasped back into the security of silence.  
  
Trying to interest her with other questions, he gave up engaging any conversation with her when she refused to say a word.  
  
Shifting her eyes from the clock to Dr. Green, she finally said, "Time's up." An escort entered the room and led her to the door. Before Rogue closed the door however, she glanced back at her psychiatrist. In a low voice so that only he could catch it, she said, "If Ah had a choice, do yah t'ink Ah would'ave done it?"  
  
Dr. Green opened his mouth to ask what exactly she meant by that, but the door clicked shut and she was gone.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Back in her room, Rogue paced back and forth, then peered through the window of her door. Her eyes caught sight of Gambit flirting with the head nurse, who giggled like a schoolgirl and turned a pretty shade of pink.  
  
Her mouth went dry and she ignored the pit feeling in her stomach. Instead, she mused, "So that's how he's able to get past them." Normally, only the patient's immediate family members were allowed to visit. Trudging back ot her bed, she fell face down onto the covered mattress. She shifted to her side and counted the black tally marks on her wall.  
  
According to the wall, it has been two months so far. A pang of sadness hit her and she wistfully wondered why Pietro hadn't visited. Before she fell into the selfish depths of self-pity, the door creaked open. Sliding to the floor, Rogue pulled out a boardgame and gestured to the floor. "Yah up for some Scrabble?"  
  
At his weird look, she retorted, "Jus' 'cause Ah'm 'mentally insane' doesn't mean Ah don't get bored."  
  
Smiling lazily, Remy plucked the bag of letter tiles from her. "Let Remy do t'at for you, chere."  
  
Blushing and cringing from his touch at the same time, Rogue silently watched him set up the game. She still wasn't used to the concept of being able to make skin-to-skin contact and it made her nervous.  
  
Sensing her discomfort, Gambit also felt Rogue's sullen aura blended with a tinge of sadness and fear. He noticed that when his fingeres had brushed hers, she winced as if his touch somehow hurt her skin and jagged lines of fear swirled around her. Inwardly frowning, he dug deeper into her turmoiling emotions and what he hoped to find made him grin with relief. There was a small spark of love within her. He frowned; something about her aura didn't feel right but when he tried to figure out what was wrong, it slipped through his fingers and darted deeper into the depths of Rogue's emotions.  
  
It felt something similar to a dimming fire.  
  
Unaware of Remy's discoveries, Rogue rummaged through the letter tiles and picked out a D. "Hmmm, think yah can beat that?"  
  
He grinned, but when he picked out an O, he mocked sadness by heaving a huge sigh. "Guess t'at means chere's first." A wicked smile played upon his lips and he said huskily, "Don't t'ink Remy's gonna go easy on yah jus' 'coz you're pretty."  
  
At ease with his flirty behavoir, Rogue laughed. "Sorry to disappoint you, but dere ain't no pretty filles here, so get goin'."  
  
Some time later while Rogue put down a word that earned her 36 points alone, she suddenly asked, "Why do you visit?"  
  
As he received 16 points for his word, Remy playfully teased, "'Coz Remy can't resist a beautiful fille when he sees one." At her look that said to get serious, he said with equal earnest, "Remy remembers how Marie askt for help." He shrugged. "So, Remy came."  
  
"It's that easy for you...?" her voice trailed off. After a pause, she said softly, "Yah're a nice guy, Remy LeBeau."  
  
He quirked his brows at her. "Mon ami... for a pretty fille, you're kinda slow."  
  
She smacked his arm. "And yah can be overly flirtatious."  
  
"All part o' Remy's charm." Suddenly, he said, "You up for some fresh air?" Scratching his chin, he amended, "T'at is, does chere want t' get outta t'is room?"  
  
Eyeing him with a questioning look, she asked carefully, "Am Ah allowed to?" At his solemn nod, she gave a broad grin and scrambled to the door.  
  
Leading her outside to the hallway, he whispered, "Stay close to Remy, Marie."  
  
Nodding balefully, Rogue observed a young boy no older than her, ranting away at nothing. An older man and woman who had to be his parents were at his side and a younger girl stood along with them. Rogue's heart ached at their obvious love and concern for their son.  
  
"Matt, honey, it's me... don't you remember you're own mother?"  
  
Matt blinked at her before returning to his nonsense chattering.  
  
His little sister tugged at his hands and stamped her feet. Tears marked her face while she said angrily, "Stop it Matt! That's not funny! Stop being so mean to Mom and Dad."  
  
A doctor approached the family and the weary father said apologetically, "Elizabeth doesn't understand."  
  
Clenching her hands into fists, Elizabeth bleated tearfully, "I do TOO understand!"  
  
A hand touched her shoulder and Rogue looked up to Remy's gentle face. "Let's go." Blinking, Rogue realized she had been staring at the scene like an idiot and wished she could phase right out of their sight. Following Remy, Rogue looked back to the devastated family and felt foolish. These were people with bigger, more serious problems. All Rogue ever did was pity herself while others suffered through tougher things.  
  
Clutching Remy's hand like a child, she realized more than ever of her feelings for him. She liked Remy much more than she thought she should and the knowledge of that weighed like a heavy stone in her head. Her two months of unresponsive treatment here had taught her what she needed to know and she wished more than ever that Pietro was here.  
  
As if he had heard her thoughts, Rogue looked straight into the familiar shockingly blue eyes. For a moment, she stood frozen and stared disbelievingly at him as she unknowingly let go of Remy's hand.  
  
Looking carefully from Gambit to Rogue, Pietro approached Rogue until they were face to face.  
  
Rogue broke the silence and snapped, "Well look who finally decided to show up."  
  
Trying to make amends, Pietro protested, "But Rogue, I--"  
  
"Ah don't want t' hear it!" she said angrily.  
  
Sensing he wasn't needed, Gambit ambled off to the side and watched the two from a safe distance.  
  
Hitting Pietro's arm, she said with feeling, "Ah thought at least YAH wouldave visited, but nah, some stranger shows up instead! Honestly, do Ah mean nothin' to yah?" Her anger cooled as Pietro took the abuse silently and a tear stole down her cheek.  
  
He silently wiped away the bitter salt from her cheek, but left the weight of his hand on her cheek. He softly said, "Sorry."  
  
Angrily throwing off his hand, she said bitterly, "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Her feelings dying to a tiny hint, she said balefully, "Who am Ah supposed to turn to when everyone turned their backs on me?"  
  
"Is that what you think they did?" he asked.  
  
Her eyes cast to the floor. "Ah don't know what to think anymore."  
  
"Oh Rogue..." he patted her arm tenderly. Pietro sensed there was more to Rogue's anger than that met the eye. "What's the matter?"  
  
Her voice cracked. "Ah'm dyin', Peety."  
  
Off to the side, Gambit observed the two and briefly wondered if that small spark of love in Rogue was meant for Pietro.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: I have a feeling that this story is far from over. *Heaves huge sigh* I was so counting on it being only 10 chapters... in the meantime, why don't you check out "The Darkest Hour" by Taineyah?  
  
Thanks to those who have reviewed lately; I appreciate your support and flattered by your words. Keep up the reviews! 


	11. Ch 10 Crushed Butterflies

A/N: Here's the lunacy ya asked for bunny angel.  
  
Her eyes closed and she opened them, repeating the procedure. Was it just her, or was the room becoming smaller? Glittering eyes snapping from side to side, she narrowed them suspiciously at the wall opposite from her. It seemed to be grinning at her. All logic flew from her brain as she realized that the wall now had a mouth. Feeling something wet fall to her cheek, she looked up to a blood-covered ceiling. The red liquid was edging its way down the walls, erasing the simple life of white and began to creep towards her.  
  
Rogue was torn at where to turn. If she moved away from the blood, the wall would eat her, but if she didn't, the blood would drown her. Tears poured down her face, but she held back her fear. She would not scream! But even as she thought that, her mouth opened into a silent wail and the blood eagerly wrapped around her body like tar. Struggling, Rogue only watched as the thick liquid creeped closer and closer, finally pouring into her mouth, filling her body with the coppery taste.  
  
Everything was fading into black and she felt herself being probed by the wall's jagged teeth. Her cheeks stung but she refused to open her eyes and watch herself die.  
  
"Rogue!"  
  
Her eyes snapped open. Vision blurred, she focused onto the distant face of Irene. Her hands repeatedly hit Rogue's face until Rogue pushed them away. Looking around her, she realized she was sprawled on the floor and trudged herself up. Her cheeks stinging, sweat clung to her upperlip and she licked it off. Was it all just a dream?  
  
"You were trembling; are you alright, Rogue?"  
  
Shaking her head, Rogue muttered, "It's..." She looked into Irene's dark glasses. "Nothing," she finished. She rubbed her temples and said, "So, you came like you promised."  
  
Kneeled on the floor, Irene shifted her position and seemed to reach out to her, but changed her mind. "Rogue..." she began but she stopped. Her eyes seemed to probe through Rogue's soul and Rogue cringed despite the fact that Irene was blind.  
  
"You aren't supposed to be here," Irene finally said.  
  
Rogue sniffed. "Tell dat t' tha nuttos dat landed meh here in da first place."  
  
Irene paused before saying, "No, I think you WANT to be here."  
  
She stared at the blind woman in front of her and burst out laughing. "W, what?! Me??? Want to be in this LOONY BIN!?"  
  
But Irene's next words quieted her. "Because here, you're not looked upon as insane, but rather, like everyone else. Like a coward, you don't want to face the real world and ran hiding here instead." She stood up firmly. "That is why you didn't resist being sent here because--" she faced the general direction from where Rogue spoke, "-- the Rogue I know wouldn't have stood for it."  
  
"Well I'm not the Rogue you know," she snapped. "Didn't they tell yah t'at already? Patients t'at 'ave had schizophrenia fo' too long tend to nawt recover completely."  
  
"But you're not schizophrenic. Why are you so ready to believe you are?"  
  
Rogue's mouth opened and closed like a dying fish. "B, because..."  
  
"Have you been experiencing unexpected hatred and rage lately? Are you confused on what is reality and imagination? Seeing people that aren't really there?" Irene casually tossed at her before sternly saying, "That doesn't automatically mean you have schizophrenia."  
  
Rogue gave no answer.  
  
Her face more gentle, Irene said, "You dreamed about drowning in blood."  
  
At this, Rogue snapped, "Ah don know what what yah're tahlkin' about." Before Irene could say anymore, she snarled, "GET OUT."  
  
"You know as well as I do you are not schizophrenic, Rogue! Why do you continue to yield to the psyches?"  
  
Rogue sucked in a sharp breath.  
  
Irene shook her head. "Of course I know about them. They are the ones responsible for your sudden acts of violence, impossibly strong mental barriers, hallucinations--"  
  
"Yah don't know anythin'!! SHUT YAHR MOUTH, YAH KNOW NOTHIN'!" Rogue yelled.  
  
"What don't I know? I can't see your future anymore! Not even a glimpse! Can you tell me any other reason why other than the psyches?!" Irene shot back.  
  
"Christ Irene, wuddya want meh t' say, huh? THAT AH'M DYIN' AND CAN'T DO SHIT ABOUT IT?!" Rogue snapped her mouth shut, stunned at what she had said. It didn't seem real when she told Pietro, but now, admitting it to Irene, the words took to a different light. "Ah'm... dyin'..." she said, not wanting to believe the words. Disbelief in her jade eyes, Rogue whispered, "The psyches... are killing me, aren't they?"  
  
A nurse burst into the room, anger seeping through her body. "I will not tolerate such a ruckus to inhibit this hospital! Miss, I will have to ask you to leave for the patient's benefits as she is not to be excited." Without waiting for a response, the nurse gruffly pushed Irene out of the room, who only turned back with words only Rogue could hear.  
  
"Don't give up."  
  
-------------------------  
  
Walking down the hall, Rogue warily glanced from one person to the other as she journeyed. Soft crying reached her ears, and Rogue, ready to ignore it, stopped when she recognized the crying voice. Tentatively entering the hospital-like room, Rogue approached the sobbing girl next to Matt who took no notice of her whatsoever.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Elizabeth jumped up guiltily and wiped her face with her sleeve. "W,what do you want?"  
  
Feeling stupid for intruding, Rogue muttered, "Ah... was jus' wonderin' if yah were okay."  
  
"Look at what I've found Ellen!" Matt said happily.   
  
Elizabeth sniffed before turning to him with a sisterly smile. "Oh... you crushed it's wings."  
  
Matt smiled and glanced down at the lifeless butterfly in his hand. "Really? Stupid things really; why are they so pretty but delicate?" He hummed as he dropped the colorful remnants outside his window. "Look at the green sky Ellen! If you look carefully to the left, you can see the flying unicorns."  
  
Rogue was silent as she watched Elizabeth put on a strained smile. Sad, really. Here was a girl of only 8 or 10 years old, and she was the 'older' sister of her brother. Her heart went out to Elizabeth; a girl like her shouldn't have to grow up so fast and deal with problems like this. Unknowingly, her hand gently stroked Elizabeth's blond curls and patted her head comfortingly.  
  
When Elizabeth grabbed her hand, Rogue gave a start but saw the desperate tears in her eyes and relaxed. she was only a kid after all.  
  
"Please... can you stay with me?" The girl's voice trembled. "This is the first time he's actually talked to anyone beside his 'friend' and Mom won't be here for a while."  
  
Drawing up a chair, Rogue sat down and waited for the girl to climb on as Matt happily snatched more butterflies. Looping her arms around the young child, she softly brushed away Elizabeth's tears and gently held her hands. Quietly singing something she learned from her childhood, she watched Matt chatter away happily as Elizabeth drifted to sleep.  
  
Maternal love filled her and pain lurked in her heart as well. Was this what touch was like? Full of warmth in being able to comfort one with just a single touch, but painful to know that you could do nothing else? Lifting Elizabeth onto Matt's bed, she took the butterfly from his hands and instructed, "No Matt, yah'll crush its wings lahke that..."  
  
Matt unhappily looked at the sprinkling specks of white. "What's that?"  
  
Rogue's eyes closed and took in a breath of the cold air. "December."  
  
---------------------------------  
  
Walking in the vast garden, Rogue shivered as the snow drifted to the ground. Until recently, the people had allowed her to venture into the gardens and Rogue was taking every chance to go. Frustrated with the cold, Rogue brooded on a stone bench hidden within the maze of a garden. Her hands brushed the frozen bushes and a hand lingered on one of the leaves.   
  
A thought fleeted through her head. What if she could absorb the essence willingly? Almost as soon as she thought that, she dismissed it and looked down at the broken leaf in her hand. She blinked; the leaf had turned a distinct brown. Nonplussed, she looked at the other leaves and noticed they still held their crystal like shade of green.  
  
Maybe... just maybe, she was overcoming the powers of the thing around her neck. Grabbing frantically at another leaf, Rogue willed herself to take its lifeforce and felt something slide within the contact. The leaf had turned a dry brown and crackled at her touch.  
  
Hope soaring, it plummeted once more when a thought dawned onto her. If she was able to overcome the collar's limitations, did that mean she could not touch willingly anymore? Closing her eyes, she gathered her energy and broke off another leaf. Tentatively opening her eyes, Rogue noted with joy that it was still green.  
  
Rogue sobered once more. Since she was wearing the collar, this was no sure way of telling whether or not her powers were under control. Sighing, Rogue glanced at a glinting silver and blinked rapidly in surprise. Scrambling off the bench, she crouched at a distant bush and glanced for passerbys. Reaching under it, her hand came into contact with a familiar cold. As she drew her clutched hand out, the blue hue already glinted menacingly at her and she sucked in a sharp breath.  
  
What was this sword doing here of all the places?  
  
Pietro's laugh sounded hollow behind her.  
  
"I was hoping to find you here, Rogue and it looks like you've found the sword I've hidden for you."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Aww, this story's actually gonna end sooner than I thought. R & R please! Profound thanks to those who have!!!! Not to sound corny and all, but seriously, it's your reviews that keep me writing. Thanks for the support!  
  
giggleboxsam: Yeah, I agree on what you said about Elizabeth, so I came up with this. Haha, wuddya think? 


	12. Ch 11 Price of Freedom

Examining the sword in her hand, Rogue looked back at Pietro. Her face hidden in the shadows, she appraised him with no expression betraying her feelings. Carefully, she said, "What are yah doin'?"  
  
Face equally blank, Pietro said bleakly, "I'm giving you a choice, Rogue. Either join us or risk painful death."  
  
Tucking her hair behind her ears, Rogue smile twisted ruefully at him. Eyeing him with somber seriousness, she made a noise that indicated mocking laughter. "Ah'd rather kiss Duncan's ass than help yahr father."  
  
His eyes pleaded before hardening. Pietro brandished his own sword and crouched into a ready stance. "Then I have no choice but to kill you."  
  
"Why am Ah not surprised?," she said softly. Without warning, Pietro slammed his sword down but she dodged through the air with ease, twisting to slice down at him with a butterfly sweep.  
  
Pietro quickly blocked it and Rogue asked in a low voice, "Why aren't yah usin' yah're powers?" She made another attack, aiming for his shoulder. Clashing of the metal swords rang out and Rogue kept advancing relentlessly with her attack. Feeling seperated from her arm holding the sword, Rogue only watched as she performed moves she never thought she knew.  
  
'Kill him...'  
  
'Eat his heart....'  
  
'Kill..."  
  
Bloodlust suddenly surged within her, blinding her vision and she licked her lips without knowing it as she cut at him. A cool sting at her arm startled her back into reality and Rogue became frightened with the sudden urge for spilled blood. Red drops decorated the snow below her and she saw a shallow cut made by Pietro. Shaking herself back to reality, she kept the howling rage at bay and said fervently, "Yah don't hafta do this."   
  
The baying wolf of bloodlust slashed inside her, clamoring to be set free and wreak havoc upon the boy. Sweat tinged her face, threatening to blur her vision and Rogue bit her lip; she couldn't hold back the hungry blood-thirst for long. Muscles aching from long-use and the cold warned of her fatigue.  
  
Eyes glittering with something Rogue never saw in Pietro's eyes before, he whispered, "It's either you or me." Agilely lunging in to aim for her heart, he leaped back to avoid Rogue's counter attack.  
  
Gritting her teeth, Rogue pleaded with Pietro once more. "Do yah wanna be Magneto's pawn forever?!" She hurriedly blocked a fast jab and wrenched the accusing sword away from her side with her sword. She snapped, "Yah can fight it Pietro!"  
  
"You can't save me; it's too late," was the only reply. He laughed harshly and coldly said, "I will not fail him!"  
  
The howling wolf inside her was set free and Rogue became blind with hate, thirst for blood and vengeance. Constantly bringing her sword down, she left no room for Pietro to attack, only to defend. One swing sliced into his arm; another slashed at his knees; others rained more injuries. She brought the glinting blue sword down, sliding it around Pietro's own sword and wrenched it from his grasp, falling into the snow a few feet away. In his loss, Pietro stumbled to the floor and looked up to Rogue's eyes. The gleaming point of her sword was pointing towards his neck and he smirked up at her.  
  
His eyes tattled of his knowledge of her uncontrollable thirst and how she managed to recollect herself before she dealt the final fatal blow.  
  
"You gonna kill me?"  
  
Looking down at him with expressionless eyes, Rogue shook with obvious visibility but stood firm, not answering his question.  
  
A blur of colored movement and Rogue's back was against Pietro, her gleaming sword pressed against her neck. To move meant to cut her own throat and a whisper stole into her ears. "You should have known if you didn't kill me, I would've killed you. Good-bye Rogue."  
  
Rogue's eyes closed and they snapped open, her eyes now burning blood-red, no longer green. "Good-bye Pietro," she said coldly and slammed her palm up at his face, feeling the cut sear into her throat. Grabbing his wrist, she wrenched the sword away from him and let her sword do the rest.  
  
Only when she felt the blood fall like rain onto her face did she open her eyes to Pietro's strained face as he slumped to the ground. Closing her eyes, the fiery red inside her died and Rogue took in her surroundings, realizing what she had done. Snow clung on her eyelashes, the coldness seeping into her body but she was numb and couldn't tell the difference from heat or cold at the moment. "Yah coward; yah wanted meh t' kill yah," she said quietly, anger shaking her voice. "And Ah fell for it..."  
  
His rasping breaths came in short, cynical laughter. Grief-stricken, Rogue knelt at his side and pressured her hands onto the flow of blood, trying to stop the bleeding. His hands defiantly pushed them away.  
  
"Don't."  
  
Voices sounded in a distance and Rogue locked eyes with her dying friend. "Magneto's crew?"  
  
He gave a small acknowledgement. "They were supposed to help me stage your death to look like a suicide." Fear rode into his eyes. "I can't go back, Rogue. Don't let them take me back!"  
  
Rogue answered by putting her hands over his wound and Pietro covered them with his own. Looking into each other's eyes, their love for each other flared in their hearts, but both chose to remain silent than to voice what they already knew. "Please, Magneto will only turn me into a mindless machine," Pietro begged. "I want this to end."  
  
Her concern for Pietro overrode her fear of the Institute. "The Professor could hide you; you could be free from Magneto's clutches and still live." Inside, she was shaking; Pietro never ever pleaded for anything. He was too much of a machismo for that. That he was asking for help rattled her nerves badly.  
  
Pietro studied Rogue. "That's not my idea of freedom, forever hiding and trapped in a cage from my own father." His voice grew faint. "Please, Rogue. This way, they can't have either one of us."  
  
The voices grew closer.  
  
"This is... my fate," Pietro said quietly.  
  
Her hands shaking, Rogue grabbed the sword, and closed her eyes, plunging it deeply into his heart.  
  
Memories of Pietro laughing, Pietro teasing, Pietro acting the class clown, Pietro faking movie lines, Pietro handing her the soap, Pietro understanding, and Pietro smiling sadly all flitted through her mind. She didn't cry; she couldn't. Instead, a dull ache had built up inside her and refused to leave, giving her more pain than tears ever could.  
  
This was... fate.  
  
And she was running, her feet crunching through the fallen snow. Running blindly, Rogue opened her eyes to find she was back in her room. Fervently peeling off her blood-stained clothing, she thrust them into the sink and turned on the shower. Pink water swirled beneath her as Rogue slided against the wall and clutched her knees to her body.  
  
And yet, she still couldn't shed a tear for him.  
  
"Magneto can't control yah anymore, Peety. Yah're free," she whispered to her knees.  
  
She continued to sit there, ignoring the silent beating of the water. Instead, she breathed in the steamy scent and debated on what to do about the constricting pain in her heart. Wearily closing her eyes, she drifted slowly into darkness.  
  
-------------------------------  
  
Opening her eyes, Rogue found herself in a field of flowers, filling her nose with the mingling scents of lavenders, violets, bluebells, and so on. Green skies stretched as far as the eye could see and the fields alternated between patches of unkempt flowers, to glistening grass. Letting herself fall into the safety of the flowers, Rogue glanced at her surroundings and frowned.  
  
Suddenly, the environment seemed to shift and Rogue's surroundings changed into endless dirt with no sign of life within miles of her view. Scrambling up to her feet, Rogue was suddenly enveloped in darkness and she cried out in surprise. She looked around her but it was no use; she couldn't see anything. The feeling of dread grew and Rogue nervously wiped her sweating palms on her pants.  
  
She knew this place; her insides all clamored that they did.  
  
Feeling as if she was being watched, Rogue noticed with a start that glowing eyes had appeared to her right. Crying out, she edged away, only to realize more eyes glowed around her. Feeling something cold touch her wrist, Rogue snatched it away, only to realize that its grip on her wrist was strong.  
  
"Let me go!"  
  
Light flared and Rogue's eyes were blinded for a moment. When the spots in her vision cleared, she gulped at the sight of many familiar faces.  
  
The one holding her wrist let go. Looking up into its face, Rogue realized it was Mystique and the dread spread throughout her body. "No, no... this can't be happening... NO!!!" Rogue struggled to wrench free from its grasp.  
  
Her captor's face twisted to a mocking grin. "Welcome to our world, Rogue."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Eeep, don't kill me yet. Wait for the next chapter, then proceed to throw things at me. Reviews are always appreciated. Thank you to those that have. 


	13. Ch 12 Again

Disclaimer: Again by Tapping the Vein.  
  
Sagging to the floor, Rogue whispered, "No..." Her pale face admitted defeat, and she closed her eyes, willing everything to disappear, that this was some kind of dream. Her eyelids fluttered open to see a changed scenery; the psyches had vanished and instead, small crystal globes spun in their wake. Each were a different clear tint of color and glitter spun inside them as if it flowed through water.  
  
"If you were given a second chance in life, would you take it?" Mystique serenly gazed at the green globe in her hand and let it float away, watching it leave traces of light green glitter in the air. "More specifically, if _you_ could give someone that chance, would you?"  
  
The green ball floated towards Rgoue and she closed her fingers around the cold surface of the glittery globe.  
  
~*~*~  
  
A frantic woman stumbled through the woods, trying to escape the wolves snapping at her heel. Her face was covered by a hood and clutched in her arms was a tiny, crying bundle.  
  
Coming across a bridge, one of the wolves forced the woman to lose her balance and the bundle dropped, plopping into the crushing river.  
  
"No!!!"  
  
~*~*~  
  
Her fingers released the shining crystal from its clutches in a way like a flower would unfurl. A low hum resounded and it was on its way again, traveling in an aimless path.  
  
"Those were yahr memories, weren't they?"  
  
Mystique's psyche beckoned to the other glittering balls with a wave of her hand. "You do much more than peek at our past, Rogue. Part of our powers are stored within you as well." She flicked at a pink one and it tinkled as if chattering angrily at her. "Do you realize how powerful you are? With a simple touch, you can take other mutants' powers, using them as your own, but you also glimpse at their memories. What's to stop you from erasing what they know?"  
  
"Why are yah tellin' meh this? As Ah recall it, y'all aimin' t' kill meh."  
  
Idly fingering another globe, the psyche tapped the clear, glittery-blue surface and said instead, "What do you think would happen if this broke?"  
  
Rogue sneered. "Yah won't catch me that way. They may be other people's memories, but they's mah memories, too. If they broke, Ah wouldn't be meh anymore, leavin' you guys free t' take over."  
  
Smirking at her, the psyche said amused, "So, you're not as stupid as you look." Tossing the blue globe into the air, she caught it easily. "Your control over your own mind is already slipping. What makes you think you can hold out on us? Sooner or later, we'll destroy you, with or without your cooperation." As if to prove it, she held out the crystal blue ball in her dark blue hand.  
  
As if in slow motion, the glitter swirled inside the crystal as it slipped from her fingers like water from a rock and crashed onto the floor.  
  
----------------------  
  
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.  
  
Letting out a sharp gasp, Rogue bolted upright in the bed. Touching her forehead, her fingertips felt slick beads of sweat. Taking in her surroundings, Rogue saw she was in the Institute's infirmary.  
  
Wiping her face with the edge of the blanket, she noticed the IV needles inserted in her arm. She tapped them and fingered the crude bandage holding the needle in place. With two swift yanks, she pulled them out and hissed at the rush of pain. A though dawned to her and her fingers traced the collar on her neck. 'Yep. Still there.'  
  
Pulling back her gown sleeve, Rogue half-hoped it wouldn't be there but when she saw the scabbing cut on her arm, reality laughed at her. Wiping away the stubborn tears that spilled over, she let out a chuckle. Pietro did always say she was too sensitive for her own good.  
  
Swinging her legs over the side, Rogue tested her weight and stood delicately on her feet. Dizziness washed over her as her ears roared and her vision blurred heavily. Stumbling, Rogue grabbed onto the IV stand, taking short, deep breaths.  
  
"Y'should still be in bed; y'been asleep f'sixteen days."  
  
She waved him off but his hands steadied her as she dropped back onto the bed. Looking up, she said, "It _is_ yah. What'r yah doin' here, swamp rat?"  
  
~*~  
  
I am wearing this weight Again  
  
It cuts like it did then  
  
It's consuming all my thoughts   
  
and swallowing me Again  
  
~*~  
  
Remy plopped himself down next to her and stroked her head. "'Cos Remy gets worried. 'S t'at so bad?"  
  
Massaging her temples, Rogue snapped, "Unfortunately, yes." Her head was going dizzy again; she knew what was coming next and she wasn't sure if she wanted to hear it.  
  
~*~  
  
And what you see is what's left of me  
  
but I'm here  
  
I didn't think I'd scare very easily   
  
but I fear this thing  
  
~*~  
  
Flipping her a melting smile, Remy looked at her with puppy eyes and buried his face into the groove of her neck. "So mean. Anyone ever tell y't'at?" His fingers somehow managed to tangle themselves with Rogue's pale ones and he gently caressed them.  
  
~*~  
  
It is wearing me out and thin  
  
Paralyzing me Again  
  
It was vicious all the way here  
  
I am barely alive  
  
~*~  
  
"Y'knows... I've been meaning t'tell y'..."  
  
Resting her cheek on top of his head, Rogue did not prompt him. She could at least let him have this moment. Tears pricked her eyes and she became angry; was she some stupid baby to cry over every little thing? A tear splashed onto Remy's hand before she could stop it and he shifted so that he could see her face.  
  
"M'honey... why's y'cryin'?" His hand brushed away the water trail that the tear left on her cheek. He gazed into her swimming green eyes and leaned in, landing soft kisses on each of her eyelids. As she closed them, the tears that were held captive from her lashes dropped.  
  
'If you were given a second chance in life, would you take it? More specifically, if _you_ could give someone that chance, would you?'  
  
"Because Ah'm goin' t'miss yah," she whispered. Ignoring his inquiring look, she turned her face up for a kiss.  
  
~*~  
  
I wish you love   
  
With anyone else but me  
  
I wish you love with anyone  
  
~*~  
  
Rogue turned on her power like one would flip on a light switch and she felt his memories suck into her but she shoved them away, looking only for specific ones. 'Maybe... if Ah tried this...' Rogue called out a soft tune and several memories slapped her; visions of Remy making faces at her, him handing her that one rose, ones where they played scrabble and several others stuck to her. Clutching onto them like paper, she shooed the others away and opened her eyes, pulling away from Remy.  
  
He collasped on the bed; in that short amount of time, Rogue had rendered him unconscious.  
  
~*~  
  
And all I can do I will do for you   
  
If I'm here  
  
I promise you I'll remember you   
  
While I'm here  
  
~*~  
  
"Rogue? You're awake! But who's that?" Mr. McCoy rushed over to Rogue's side.  
  
She swayed and blinked; she didn't realized that she was standing. Collasping into Mr. McCoy's arms, she murmured tiredly, "He works f'Magneto, but Ah tooks his memories 'bout t'is place. He won't remember a t'ing." She made a face at her thick Cajun accent.  
  
Moving her onto a different bed, he asked, "Your powers allow you to do that?"   
  
Rogue merely crawled under the covers and nodded. Blackness threatened to drape over her once more and she whispered, "Make sure Logan don' hurt him or somet'ing." Through drooping eyes, she watched Mr. McCoy lift Remy like a rag doll onto his back and did not close them until she could not see them anymore.  
  
~*~  
  
I wish you love Again  
  
I am surrendering me  
  
Surrendering mine  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Mmm... that didn't make any sense either, did it? ^^ Oh well. I promise the next chapter will for sure explain any questions that are popping in your minds! At least... I think it will. As always, reviews are welcome and very much needed.  
  
Thank you to those that have. It's helped me work out my writing block. ^^ 


	14. Ch 13 Save Me or Not?

A/N: O.O *blinks* I'm up to 81 reviews.  
  
Responses to reviewers:  
  
tre0220: It's by Tapping the Vein, called "Again".  
  
bunny_angel: I agree. I think we should lynch Mystique and beat Rogue over the head for doing something that stupid, haha. x)  
  
Taineyah: I never thought I'd actually be happy to hear someone cried. As for Rogue... who knows?  
  
Carla-p: It did? *Sniffs* That's the nicest thing anyone ever said. ^^ Honestly.  
  
Yumiko: Hmmm, wait for the epilogue. I promise you something will happen there.  
  
raniatlw: Yup.  
  
Arekanderu: The waiting is over!  
  
Lady Dragon: Really? *blushes* Thank you!  
  
  
  
  
  
And now it's time to get on with the story  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Rogue quietly hummed as she dug through the fridge. With a small, "Ah ha..." she grabbed a bottle of coke and popped off the top with a can opener. Taking a swig, she walked past the rec room, but stopped when she saw Scott staring wistfully out the windows. Retreating to the fridge, she opened another bottle. Treading softly up to him, she peered over his shoulder and saw the source of his gaze.  
  
"Thought you were over her."  
  
Scott sighed, blowing air up at his hair. "Yeah, I thought so, too."  
  
She handed him the coke and ordered, "Drink. Sugah usually helps these kind of situations." He stared at the bottle and she pressed it into his hands. "Trust me. Moping gets you nowhere."  
  
He gave her a small smile and took the drink. "How come you're not scared of us? According to Kitty, even a glimpse of any one of us would freak you out."  
  
Rogue shrugged. "Yah realize a few things while yahr sleepin' for 15 days. Figurin' out that yah guyz aren't mah enemies were one of them."  
  
They began walking down the hallway. Scott ran his fingers through his hair and said seriously, "Despite what you think of us, all of us were worried."  
  
She sipped her drink. 'If only yah knew the whole story...' "Ah know," she said aloud. They stopped at another window and stared in unison at Jean, who was laughing at something Kitty said. "You know I used to have the biggest crush on you. It was up to the point where you were almost like some kind of idol with no flaws." She laughed at herself.  
  
Scott looked curiously at her, although it was hard to tell with his dark glasses. "Used to?"  
  
Rogue grinned wryly. "Ah found out that yah're no different from the rest of us." She rested her hand on the sill, gazing out at the sky. "Yah know Scott, Ah used t' think yah were stupid, too. Always waitin' around for some girl who strays from one guy t' another." She placed her hand on the glass, the sun's beams shining through the crack of her fingers. "That is, until Ah found out what it was lahke to love someone so much that yah want them to be happy. Even if it's not with yah." She closed her eyes. "How come you never told me how much it hurt?"  
  
Scott glanced at her and he realized, with a bit of sadness, that Rogue had changed. She was now grown up in more ways than many teens her age were, but what a price to pay; her 'illness' drew lines in her face that weren't there before, her eyes no longer gleamed with childish youth, and her lips no longer carried the uncertain, but sincere smiles. Or was that the result of love? "You've... changed."  
  
Rogue opened her eyes. "For better or for worse?"  
  
He took a sip of his coke, aware of her graceful, yet sad features. "Only time will tell."  
  
They both laughed at the nonsensical phrase, but the laughter was empty and sorrowful, like the howling of a lonely wolf.  
  
--------------------------------  
  
"What if, you had a second chance at life?"  
  
A snowflake caught in Rogue's lashes. She sucked in the cold air and glanced sharply at Irene who was sitting calmly on the bench. "Whaddya mean?"  
  
"What if I told you that you could be cured?"  
  
Rogue licked her chapped lips, but only succeeded in getting it more chapped. "That sounds wonderful. What's tha catch?"  
  
Irene grinned dryly. "Nothing gets past you, doesn't it?" She rested her hands on her walking stick. "Although it may save your life, it could also destroy it. However, it is better than just leaving you to die eventually, leaving only your shell for the psyches to control."  
  
Silent, Rogue took a seat next to Irene and turned her heads toward her. "It could also destroy mah life?"  
  
"There are dominant pysches within you that draw out their hatred for you from their retracted memories of the original owner. Their extreme hate overpowers the other psyches who have either neutral or positive positions. They've already breaking through the barriers of your mind and put up their own mental barrier to keep outsiders from intruding. However, if we wipe out the psyches's memories, it can bring an end to their mental riot. The catch is... their memories are closely embedded with yours, and if we erase theirs...."  
  
"Mine will also be erased, which means Ah won't remember a thing," Rogue finished. She quietly thought over something. "That means... I'll forget the Institute and everyone in it, the Brotherhood, you, Elizabeth, Mark... everything."  
  
"Either path you choose, you'll lose who you are," Irene said softly. Rogue stayed silent, and it must have disturbed Irene because she shifted uncertainly. "Charles could inform you on who you are once you've been cured. It probably won't help much, but you can also leave your pain behind."  
  
"Ah don't know..." Rogue trailed off. She went through much in the last couple of months that have passed. To forget everything, even before that, was asking much, even if it was to save her. "Ah just... it's all too much too fast. Ah need some time t' think about it." She brushed off the snow on her lap. "Who's gonna... err... 'fix' meh then?" She made a face; it was as if she was a broken car that some mechanic was just gonna swing by to repair.  
  
"Me." Irene briefly smiled. "Fate has allowed me to do what I can to fix the worn threads of time, and its leading future."  
  
Somehow, Rogue was not surprised and she smiled back, not remember that Irene could not see as conflicting expressions crossed Rogue's face.  
  
To be saved... or not to be saved?  
  
---------------------------  
  
'Ah, the lovely wonders of school,' Rogue thought as she was jostled in the crowd. Her prolonged absence was not noticed by many, which was actually better for Rogue. That way, Rogue didn't have to explain why she was gone for so long. Only her teachers knew the real reasons and they had no intention of leaking that out to the public.  
  
Making her way out to lunch, Rogue stepped out in the open and shaded her eyes. Waving off at one area was Kitty, Scott, Kurt and them, but her eyes strayed past them, looking for someone else. Her green eyes landed upon the Brotherhood and she smiled, walking towards them. Her step faltered; was Lance deliberately avoiding looking at her?  
  
Suddenly, a flash of red snarled at her before landing a ferocious punch upon her face. Rogue's head knocked back at the sudden impact, but managed to grab the other fist before it hit her again.  
  
It was Wanda.  
  
"You fucking bitch!" she screamed. "I am fucking gonna kill you!" She wrenched her hands free,pounding and kicking Rogue. Lance and Fred dragged Wanda off of her, Toad just half a step behind.  
  
Rogue's X-men friends gathered protectively behind her while Kurt gently helped her to her feet. A crowd had gathered in the meantime, but was interrupted at the sound of the principal's voice. "All right, break it up! Wanda, Rogue, come with me. What has gotten into the two of you?"  
  
Reluctantly, the excited students departed, already gossiping about the brief fight while Rogue and Wanda followed the principal into his office. During his lecture about fighting on the premises, Wanda kept quiet but shot withering, black glares at Rogue, sneering at her all the while. Rogue only cast her eyes to the floor, knowing perfectly well of the source of her furiousness.  
  
"A week's detention for the both of you. I won't be so lenient to you the next time this happens. It'll mean suspension if this occurs once more." Scribbling something down, he said, "You're dismissed."  
  
Wanda stalked out with Rogue behind her. Outside, Lance and his gang, Scott, Kitty, and Kurt were waiting. Ignoring Kitty's exclamations, Kurt's sympathies and Scott's heated glares with Lance, she uncertainly said, "Lance...?"  
  
He looked at her briefly before turning away.  
  
How did he know? Even her X-men friends didn't have a clue. "Lance... Ah... yah don't believe Ah did it because Ah wanted to, did yah?" This couldn't happen. Of all the things that have happened, this couldn't. It couldn't! Her vision blurred. But then again, what did she expect? Pietro was their friend as much as hers and how could she expect them to understand why she did what she did?  
  
He averted her eyes. "I don't know what to think anymore."  
  
Wanda snarled, "Watch your back, bitch. Once I find you alone..." Toad ushered her off, as Fred reproached her for making such a threat. Both also avoided looking at Rogue. Lance shook his head apologetically at Rogue and left with them.  
  
Rogue stood there, her eyes cast to the side as Scott muttered threats under his breath, as Kitty patted her comfortingly, and while Kurt cracked lame jokes. Their voices dimmed out of her ears as she slowly blinked away her tears.  
  
--------------------------  
  
"Shhh... it's okay."  
  
Rogue continued to sob into Irene's lap as she gently stroked Rogue's hair. She didn't question why Irene was in her room. "Ah can't take it. Ah can't. What if the others found out lahke they did? They'll distance me and Ah can't take that. Ah already lost Pietro and Remy; if Ah lose them, Ah don't know what Ah'll do."  
  
"I thought it was your choice to let Remy go."  
  
Quieting to sniffles, she lifted her head, peering up at Irene's dark glasses. "Ah knew if Remy stayed, he'd be miserable with me." She laughed bitterly. "Then Ah found out he already had a sweetheart waiting for him back home. He'll certainly be fine without meh." She added softly, "Everyone will be." She hesitated. "Irene... did Pietro really have t' die? It was because of meh that he died."  
  
Irene patted Rogues hand. "Poor child. Sometimes Fate can be cruel, and yes, he was bound to die. You just gave him a more peaceful way."  
  
Rogue rested her head on Irene's lap, a ghostly image of a child. "The pain's eating meh up inside. Yah hafta take it away, Irene or else Ah'll die."  
  
Cupping Rogue's face, Irene said, "Are you sure?"  
  
She felt her nod. "Can yah... take me somewhere else? Change schools, living locations, tha works?"  
  
"Would you at least like to say good-bye?" Irene murmured.  
  
"Ah was never good at good-byes." Rogue wiped off her tears with her sleeve. "Besides, they know nothing about mah condition. They'll be better off if they didn't know and without me." Her voice quivered. "Please, Irene, give meh mah second chance at life."  
  
As Irene placed her hands at the sides of Rogue's head, Rogue closed her eyes, feeling her thoughts slipping away to nothing.  
  
'This is... mah fate.'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~FIN~  
  
  
  
A/N: AHHHHHHHH it's over! What in the world did I do???? Hee hee........just kidding! There's still the epilogue left to go. But then again, I might change my mind and add two more chapters, who knows? As always, reviews are appreciated and in desperate search of. 


	15. Epilogue

A/N: 92 reviews?! *Sniff* Thank you.  
  
Dear Lance:  
  
I'm sorry.  
  
  
  
Love, Rogue.  
  
------------------------  
  
The black car silently drove away as the X-men crew saw her off. Rogue looked back at them through the rear window and waved, but it was a non-committed wave. It was a wave that said she was only being polite, and not really saying goodbye. It was a wave that said she did not remember them.  
  
A wave that said the old Rogue was no more.  
  
"She left us. Rogue really is gone," Kitty whispered. Despite the sadness weighing in her head like plunking stones into the ocean, Kitty felt a glimmer of happiness. Rogue was gone, but she was no longer burdened. She was happy. She was saved.  
  
Jean stood with her arms crossed, watching the car with a little relief. Though she was also a bit depressed at Rogue's departure, she couldn't help but think that the sanity would return to the Institute. "So long...."  
  
"..." Scott walked back inside.  
  
Kurt forlornly waved with his furry hands along with his tail. "Hope she don't forget us."  
  
Ororo continued to wave after the car that was slowly fading from her sight. Professor Xavier watched her go and said, "It was her choice. We have no right to take that from her."  
  
Logan gruffly said, "She'll be back, don't worry." At the forlorn students' faces, he softened. How could Rogue have mistaken them to be the enemy? Despite whatever she thought, they were all here for her. No matter what.  
  
---------------------------  
  
At the sound of a car pulling up on the driveway, Lance peeked his head out and looked down to a brown, white streaked head. Todd answered the door, and Lance saw them exchange a few words, as Rogue pressed a piece of paper into his hand.  
  
She looked up into Lance's face and uncertainly smiled at him, as if she did not know who he was. Pulling his head back in, Lance tumbled down the stairs but crashed into the blocking Todd who suddenly cracked, "Yo, man. Don't... just..." Frustrated at his lack of words, he said finally, "Something happened. Rogue doesn't remember us anymore." With that said, he gave Lance the piece of paper. "She said, the old Rogue seemed to have wanted to give you this." He bounded up the stairs, leaving Lance alone to read the note.  
  
*I'm sorry.*  
  
Lance burst out of his house, but it was too late. The car was gone and so was Rogue. Sliding down against the door frame, he crumpled the note in his hand, swearing loudly at the sky. It wasn't enough that Pietro was gone, but Rogue had to be taken too.  
  
If only he had believed Rogue...  
  
If only he said that he didn't doubt her....  
  
If only.... if only...  
  
His regret trickled down his cheeks, unashamed to cry for his two best, but gone friends.  
  
-----------------------  
  
*FOUR YEARS LATER*  
  
She was back.  
  
However, none of them of have seen her. She had burst in while they were in the Danger Room, and went straight into a room the Professor arranged for her.  
  
She hadn't come out since.  
  
The door creaked open, and she snapped, "Ah told yah already, Ah don't feel lahke havin' any visitors."  
  
"Aw chere, you're breakin' Remy's heart wit' t'at tone of voice."  
  
Rogue started at the unfamiliar voice. Studying the man before her, his eyes stood out the most to her and she asked curiously, "Who are yah? What're yah doin' here? Haven't seen yah round here before."  
  
He smiled brilliantly at her. "Could say de same f'you. Joined dese people 'bout a couple months ago. What's yer story?" Before she answered, he winked at her. "F'what I'm doin' here... would y'believe Remy if he said he wanted t' visit de beautiful femme?" He noticed that her eyes were red-rimmed, as if she had been crying. Long wavy brown hair trailed down her back, as white bangs framed her face.  
  
She snorted. "Dun' seem lahke it. Ah think someone sent yah."  
  
Fingering his cards, Gambit feigned a hurt look. "Chere, you callin' Remy a liar?" He gave a conniving shrug. "'Sides de fact dat dis _is_ my room..."   
  
Blinking, Rogue looked around her.  
  
His grin widened. "Gotcha." He ducked a flying pillow.  
  
Her lips quivered and Rogue could not help but laugh.  
  
Tenderly touching her lip, Gambit said softly, "Dat's good. Never did like t'see femmes cry."  
  
She smiled up at him, her burdened sorrows still at bay but now a figment of the past. "Name's Rogue." His quizzical eyes prompted her to say, "Seriously. Ah don't remember what my name used to be."  
  
"Really?" He mused thoughtfully. "Well, Remy t'inks t'at you looks like a Marie." He nodded decisively. "Yep, Marie."  
  
"Marie." The name rolled like a foreign word on her tongue, but it intrigued her.  
  
"Mind if I call chere Marie from now on?"  
  
Rogue sighed. She knew that she was running from her problems again, but that didn't seem to matter. Eric and Greenville was of the past now. Ironic, though; she was running from one past, to another. She smiled up at Remy.   
  
"Marie's fine."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~THE END~  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Yay, it's done! I've got to admit, I had fun writing this, and I'm planning to write a kind-of sequel, one that happens during the years she spends in "Greenville."  
  
THANK YOU ALLLLLLLLL! Everyone's reviews have helped me out greatly in hard times when my muse refused to cooperate and I appreciate the words of encouragement and suggestions. However, that doesn't mean I don't need anymore! I'd still like to know what you thought of the epilogue and whether or not I should continue with my kind-of sequel. ^^  
  
Thanks again for reading!  
  
~Gothgirl05~ 


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